A homeowner in New York named Adele Andaloro found herself removed from her property and arrested after changing the locks when she discovered people she did not know occupying her home. She says she does not know the man, identified as Brian Rodriguez, or the other people in the house and did not lease the property to them.
Rodriguez claimed he had legal rights to the unit and called the police. Upon arrival, the police officers removed Andaloro from the property.
After an investigation, Rodriguez was charged with burglary and other allegations for illegally occupying a home and renting it to others. No charges were filed against Andaloro.
The incident highlights the difficulties faced by law enforcement and homeowners in ‘squatter’ cases in New York, where regulations exist allowing someone who has stayed in a property for more than 30 days to claim a right to the property.
According to the Queens District Attorney, it is illegal to occupy a property without having any rights to it. Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed strengthening the law to make clear that squatters are not tenants and are not entitled to tenant protections.
