‘Evil’: Locals slam woman after she blocked them from her own backyard

Taralyn Romero, who snapped up her forever home complete with a creek winding through the backyard, says her “American dream” unravelled quicker than she imagined.

The Colorado woman and her fiancé bought the five-bedroom home in the small town of Kittredge in 2021, after their landlord decided to move back into their rental.

The listing’s standout feature was the creek running through the property, alongside its quiet location next to a local park.

They paid US$840,000 ($1,192,504).

By the time summer hit, what had seemed like an occasional visitor suddenly turned into crowds of locals setting up for full days by the water.

“I was like, ‘Why are 55 people bringing lawn chairs, coolers, snacks, and beach umbrellas into my backyard to hang out all day?'” Romero told Realtor. “It was bewildering.”

Then she learned the creek had been used by the public for decades, with previous owners apparently allowing locals access. But she says this was never disclosed when she bought the property.

Romero said she became worried about liability, particularly with children swimming, adults drinking and rubbish being left behind.

In a move that sparked outrage, she eventually put up “No Trespassing” signs.

Locals, who believed the creek was effectively part of the neighbouring park, turned on Romero, labelling her everything from a land thief to evil to the “Wicked Witch of the West”.

The homeowner says she tried to get the city to intervene, telling city officials, “Your park visitors are on my private property, and I’m liable for them—we’ve got a problem.”

What followed was a legal battle with Jefferson County commissioners, who sued Romero in 2022, claiming rights over part of the land through adverse possession and public use.

Romero took her fight online, documenting the dispute on TikTok, where she amassed huge international support.

Romero said the social media page “attracted the helpers—the people all over the world who ended up writing the commissioners, attending meetings virtually, and making phone calls on my behalf.”

The standoff eventually ended in a settlement in 2023, with the county building a fence to divide the public area from the couple’s private property.

Under the deal, Romero sold a small portion of the creekside land to the county for US$250,000 ($354,911), allowing it to become part of the adjoining park.

She kept most of her property and part of the creek.

“It was a win for me and a win for the community,” Romero said.

In May of this year, Romero announced she was running for Lieutenant governor of Colorado, advocating for property rights after Jefferson County filed suit to seize her backyard.