After news reports of a Queens homeowner getting arrested for changing the locks on her property to keep a squatter from accessing the house, a New York legislator has introduced a bill to keep squatters from claiming tenant rights.
WABC-TV reported State Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz, a Republican, has proposed legislation that excludes squatters from being considered as tenants. The bill would enable police to intervene when homeowners discover squatters in their residences and to arrest the intruders.
Furthermore, the bill proposes a 45-day period in which someone can have the rights to stay on the property. Under the current law, the period of claimed residency is 30 days.
“We’re making sure squatters can’t take advantage of the law, that’s all we’re doing,” Blumencranz said.
Under New York law, the police cannot arrest a squatter for trespassing if they claim to be a tenant – instead, property owners need to go through the courts to evict the squatter, a process that can take two years.
“It’s an unfortunate, upside down world,” said Blumencranz. “They know how to work the law to stay for a certain number of days to work the system.”
New York has recently seen a rising number of squatter cases. Last week, a woman was killed and stuffed in a duffel bag by two squatters she discovered in her late mother’s Manhattan apartment. The squatters fled to Pennsylvania, where they were arrested.
You’ll now learn Democrats’ position on Squatters.
Can’t believe squatters have rights over owners, but okay this is good news. Hope it passes.
So the proposed bill is giving squatters 45 days instead of 30 ! How is this helping?
Its not their home ! They should be arrested for trespassing! The END!
If I’m not mistaken currently 30 days or longer makes them a legal tenant. So there are extending that to 45 days. These laws are all crazy. They protect criminal behavior.