By Truthfully.com Jan 3, 2025
Imagine returning home to find strangers living inside — and the law protecting them instead of you. For Adele Andaloro and Zafar Iqbal, this nightmare became their reality. Their jaw-dropping battles with squatters grabbed headlines and pushed New York to take action.
The Queens Squatter Who Called the Cops
In one of the most infamous cases, Brian Rodriguez, 35, allegedly took over Andaloro’s $1 million Queens home, even subletting it. When Andaloro changed the locks to reclaim her property, Rodriguez forced his way back in, claimed tenant rights, and called the police. The result? Andaloro was handcuffed and removed from her own home while Rodriguez stayed put.
The case shocked the public, with real estate attorney Michael Romer telling FoxNews.com, “The optics of a homeowner being taken from their own home in handcuffs … inspired Albany to act.” Rodriguez later pleaded not guilty to charges of burglary, trespassing, and other crimes.
A Burned-Out Brooklyn Nightmare
In Brooklyn, Zafar Iqbal faced his own squatter horror story. After a squatter allegedly torched his home, causing $900,000 in damage, other squatters moved into the backyard of the charred property. According to FoxNews.com, Iqbal said, “The squatters have more rights than the homeowners. I’m the owner of the house. How much more can I do? I need help.”
The cases piled up, exposing loopholes in the law that allowed squatters to manipulate tenant protections. These stories became the rallying cry for homeowners across the state.
Lawmakers Take Action
Finally in April 2024, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bold new law redefining squatters under New York state law. The updated language excludes squatters from tenant protections, allowing police to remove them without lengthy court battles.
Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz credited investigative journalism for fast-tracking the law, telling ABC7.com, “If we don’t voice these issues like this in the news then none of this would’ve been elevated to the state budget.”
Closing the Loophole
Under the old law, squatters could claim tenant rights after just 30 days of unauthorized occupancy, forcing homeowners into months of legal battles. “What this bill change effectively does is it changes the definition as to what a squatter is and no longer affords them tenant’s rights,” Romer explained to FoxNews.com.
The new law is a game changer, sparing property owners the emotional and financial toll of fighting squatters in court. It provides clear guidelines for law enforcement to act quickly when squatters take over.
A Victory for Homeowners
For homeowners like Andaloro and Iqbal, the new law is a long-overdue win. It finally tilts the scales in favor of property owners, ensuring they don’t lose their homes to those playing the system.
While the law doesn’t erase the harm already done, it sends a powerful message: Unlawful occupation won’t be tolerated. Property owners across New York can now reclaim what’s rightfully theirs — with the law firmly on their side, and hopefully more states will follow suit.
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