New York City Mayor Eric Adams says he supports squatter legislation
NEW YORK (WABC) -- After a series of 7 On Your Side Investigations that went viral, Mayor Eric Adams is speaking out in favor of legislation to help protect homeowners from squatters.
"A woman's home is her castle and I think it's imperative that we continue to protect that," said Adams on Tuesday.
Over the past month, 7 On Your Side exposed how a homeowner in Flushing got arrested for changing the locks on her own home, how a Douglaston, Queens family has been unable to move into their own home because the former caretaker refuses to leave, and how the FDNY said a home in Brooklyn went up in flames due to squatters.
Since our reports, Councilmember Susan Zhuang and other city councilmembers announced they plan to file new legislation that will make it easier for police to remove squatters and to track how often it's happening.
Adams said he supports the efforts.
"There was a reason squatter laws were put in place and I think people were starting to exploit what some of those reasons are," Adams said. "I find far too often we seem to ignore homeowners, middle class working class New Yorkers, so we're going to look at this law and see how we can partner with the city council to resolve this issue."
Two statewide bills have also been filed by Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz and Senator Mario Mattera that would allow police to intervene in cases instead of having to take squatters to housing court.
Adams said he met with the City Council's Common Sense Caucus about protecting homeowners and said squatting in particular is a threat to minority communities.
"If we lose small property owners," the mayor said, "big developers are going to come in, we're going to lose the financial base of black and brown immigrant communities."
ALSO READ | Squatter standoff captured on camera in Queens: 7 On Your Side Investigates
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