$1 million worth of “optics” left handcuffed homeowner after changing locks on squatter’s home in Queens, New York State Legislature recommends new measures to protect property owners A real estate lawyer told FOX News Digital that he was forced to enact strict new laws.
Part of New York’s 2024 state budget agreement, signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday, specifically excludes squatters from tenant protections under state law.
In this language, a squatter is defined as a person who stays on land without the permission of the owner or the owner’s agent.
Lawmakers said the language would make it easier for police to intervene in squatter cases and save homeowners from fighting in housing court for months or even years.
Real estate attorney Michael Romer told Fox News Digital that the Brian Rodriguez case has pushed lawmakers “across the finish line” toward passing anti-squatter legislation.
Rodriguez allegedly robbed and sublet a home in Queens, and when the owner, Adele Andaloro, tried to change the locks, police called and detained him.
“I think the investigation surrounding this case and the media surrounding this case is what got this case over the finish line. The optics of the homeowner being handcuffed and taken from his home. That photo is what Albany said today. It gave us an impetus to act quickly,” Romer said.
“If someone de facto squats or occupies or occupies property that does not belong to him and continues to do so for at least 30 days, according to existing law, the squatter is considered a de facto tenant and cannot be forcibly occupied. You’re going to have to step back from the court system,” Romer explained. “What this change to the bill effectively does is change the definition of what a squatter is and no longer gives squatters the right to be a tenant.
“It’s a game changer.”
Rodriguez, 35, pleaded not guilty last week to second-degree robbery, fourth-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree larceny, second-degree criminal trespass and fourth-degree criminal mischief, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office. did.
On February 29, Rodriguez forced his way back into the home after Andaloro changed the locks and tried to close the door, the office said. Police had no choice but to evict Andaloro from the premises because he claimed to be a legal tenant.
Following media reports, the district attorney’s office began filing charges against the 35-year-old squatter, Romer said. ABC 7 reported that after his arrest, at least four lawmakers drafted legislation to protect homeowners from squatters.
The Queens District Attorney’s Office told Fox News Digital that Andaloro was removed from the property, but no criminal charges have been filed.
Rodriguez’s arrest comes after a series of high-profile break-ins reported by FOX News Digital.
One of the squatters, Chen Chen, was arrested on suspicion of starting a fire that gutted a home in Brooklyn’s Dyker Heights earlier this year, causing $900,000 in damage, according to the New York Post.
But even after the 67th Street home became uninhabitable, fellow squatters began living in the backyard, neighbors said at a meeting earlier this month.
Owner Zafar Iqbal, 53, told the New York Post that he feels powerless by the squatters, who “have more rights” than the homeowners. He continues to work on renovating the building, but unwelcome guests “keep coming back.”
“I got a call from the fire department saying my house was burnt down. Someone broke in there and set my house on fire,” he said. “Then I found out there were squatters living there. Squatters have more rights than homeowners. I’m the owner of the house. How much more can I do? “I need help.”
Romer told Fox News Digital that he has seen an “increase” in complaints of squatting from clients compared to the first 20 years he practiced real estate law.
State Sen. Jessica Scarcella Spanton said, “No one should go home to find their property seized by squatters. They have more rights to their property.
“For too long, my constituents have grappled with the current reality of individuals illegally occupying their spaces without recourse. We are witnessing this unfold as hard-working homeowners face legal repercussions for rightfully reclaiming their property from individuals who brazenly took it without their consent.”
