Abstract
In recent years, many of Bucharest's residential properties registered as historic landmarks were vacated, which in some instances led to the eviction of families informally occupying these properties. Reasons provided by the municipality included projects to consolidate against seismic risk, rehabilitate for historic preservation, and address concerns about public health. The analysis presented here explores the municipality's official public policy discourse around the practice of squatting historic monuments and the squatters themselves. The dominant discourse homogenizes squatters as criminals and vandals of cultural heritage. Excerpts from field interviews with informal occupants are presented in order to identify discrepancies between lived realities and representations of squatting. Findings from this study provide an alternative interpretation to the dominant discourse around this housing practice, a version that highlights the multidimensional insecurity and social inequalities experienced by squatters.