How New York lawmakers can help protect homeowners from squatters, according to legal experts
New York’s 2024 state budget signed into law in April included a clear definition of “squatter,” but a New York City attorney believes more can be done to protect landlords and tenants.
Several states across the country have enacted anti-stabbing laws. One was Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it into law in March 2024 which went into effect on July 1st.
“You can’t control someone’s property and expect them to get away with it. We are in the state of Florida putting an end to the squatter scam once and for all,” said DeSantis during a press conference.
In most slums across the country, the police have little room to intervene, and cases are sent to the courts for resolution. (Stock)
ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS ON PROTECTING YOUR HOME FROM SQUATTERS
In part, the law made it easier for law enforcement to intervene in squatter disputes in the state of Florida.
The law “will give the owner the power to quickly and legally remove the squatter from the premises, which will increase the criminal penalties for squatting. Now, we have not had the same problems here, as you have seen in California or New York. However, our laws were intended to make this not fashionable,” added DeSantis.
True stories from those affected by squatters helped get legislation passed in the Sunshine State. A woman named Patti Peeples, who was homeless in her home for 36 days, was asked to testify before the Florida Senate and House committees while the bill was being considered.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation in March 2024 to help protect homeowners from foreclosures. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MENTAL, PHYSICAL DISEASES WE CAN SEE AMONG HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE TIRED OF SQUATTERS, PROFESSIONALLY.
“I’m surprised, surprised and really encouraged that this case of mine has shown me and I hope it shows others that our legislators can listen to everyday citizens and sometimes want to make new laws to deal with everyday problems,” Peeples said. he previously told Fox News Digital.
After the emergence of many stories of squatters in New York, especially New York City, lawmakers explained the square with the federal budget of 2024 signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul in April in an effort to make it easier for police to intervene.
The language defines a squatter as “a person who enters or trespasses on real property without the consent of a person entitled to possession of the property, and continues to occupy the premises without the title, right or consent of the owner or agent of the owner or person entitled to possession of the land. ,” according to the New York Senate website.
New York lawmakers defined what a “squatter” is as part of the state’s 2024 budget to distinguish between illegal residents and legal tenants. (Stock)
‘PROFESSIONAL’ SQUATTERS MOVE HOUSE TO HOUSE, KEEP COUNTRY BY LEGAL INFORMATION.
This law came out at the same time as the Good Cause Dismissal Law.
That law says that “unregulated fair market tenants, such as stable and regulated tenants, but free market tenants, cannot be evicted from an apartment unless the landlord can prove that they are exempt from the law. Or that they have a good reason, defined in the law to evict the tenant,” said Daniel Phillips.
Phillips is a real estate litigation partner at Belkin, Burden and Goldman specializing in tenant-tenant disputes.
Phillips told Fox News Digital that the club “didn’t change anything about the laws regarding squatters at all.”
“What it did was to give an explanation of what the debt is, actually saying that we are not employers, which already exists,” added Phillips.
Phillips talked about ways he believes New York can help protect homeowners from wealthy people, including a clear definition of what can be done if a homeowner or landlord has a squatter living in a certain area, such as eviction by the police or using self-help measures, such as changing the locks or shutting off utilities.
A NYC real estate litigation partner shared with Fox News Digital that having a court designated for squatter cases can help landlords through the legal process, helping it move much faster. (Stock)
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“Even creating a special court designated for these types of cases with an expedited court date so that homeowners can move through the adjudication process faster,” Phillips suggested. “The law did not do that.”
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