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Should police be able to arrest squatters on the spot?
- Yes
- No
- Unsure
The bill from Republican Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz, whose 15th District represents parts of Nassau County, adds squatters to the definition of criminal trespass. It also extends the time period for tenancy rights from 30 days to 45 days of possession.
Under current New York State law, squatters are classified as tenants and receive temporary rights after living in a property for 30 days. If a squatter claims to be a tenant, they cannot be arrested for trespassing.
The only recourse a homeowner has to reclaim their property is to file eviction proceedings through the courts, which often take years. During that time, homeowners are barred from changing the locks, cutting off utilities, or removing the person’s property or they risk being arrested themselves.
“It’s an unfortunate, upside down world,” Blumencranz told ABC7. “They know how to work the law to stay for a certain number of days to work the system.”
If approved, his bill would make it so police could arrest squatters on the spot.
The proposed legislation comes amid growing outrage over a Queens woman who was arrested after changing the locks on her Flushing residence in an attempt to rid herself of two squatters, according to the outlet.
In another disturbing case garnering national headlines, the body of a murdered 52-year-old woman was found stuffed in a duffle bag inside her late mother's Manhattan apartment. The NYPD said the woman was likely killed after encountering squatters.
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