Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Quatters. Now, this has been a huge story of late
where people have a house they got from their mom
who passed away or whatever, and it's been empty for
a month or whatever. They go over to check on
the house and you know whatever, make sure the toilets
are flushing. There's someone living in it, right, They're like,
what are you doing here? Well, in some places they
(00:22):
have a right to be there, even if you own it.
They are squatters.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Without paying you, without paying you insanity.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
I know there have been stories lately here in the
New York area. There was a woman I believe in
Queen's you were saying, she went to a similar conversation,
went to her mom's house.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yeah, her mother passed away. She took some time getting
herself together, went to the house to clean things up,
found people living there, asked them to leave. They told her, no,
we're not leaving, We're going to stay here. So she
changed the locks.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
She got arrested. What exactly, Yeah, because she kept them
from their house because they had squatters' rights. Go back
to that favorite, one of our favorite musicals of all time,
Danielle Rent. Yeah, that was about a bunch of people
who really talented people. Yeah, great, voices, great voices.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Dancer living where they were squatting.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Living in the East Village, I guess right.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
And actually one of their friends owned the property, and
so they thought like they even had more rights.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Because right, they couldn't get rid of them because they
could sing. Well, something changes everything if you're a singing squatter.
So I it's just it baffles my mind that if
you go out and you pay, you know, money for
an apartment or a house, and someone moves in. I
think in New York State, thirty days is it? Keep it?
(01:40):
Mind worth saying what we're just reading on the surface, right,
thirty days?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
It looks like so in some places they said, if
you've been in a place for ten years, then you
have a right to squat there. But then they're saying
thirty days is all it takes in New York State
to be able to squat on someone's property and just
stay there. That's crazy.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
So it could be wrong about this. Follow us if
you know, look, I think you still technically own it.
It's just a very very laborious project project to get
them out of there. It's a lot.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
I saw a case where some squatters they were charging
other squatters to come in and move in in a
place that they don't even own. So like there was
like a main squatter, he was charging other squatters to
live there while they were trying to while the person
that actually owned the property was trying to get them out.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
So these asses can become landlords.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Yeah, property exactly. Well, so it kind of makes me scared.
I'm going to get home real quick after work. No really,
So okay, we're trying to figure out where the squatter's
rights came from. And I was under the impression I
could be wrong here, maybe very clear that Let's say
you're renting you were you have a legal lease with
(02:43):
a landlord, and you're renting an apartment, and then you
cannot for whatever reason pay the rent, and their circumstances there,
including pandemic or whatever. You then I think you've been
given rights to not be pushed out so fast. But
what if you don't have at least you just move
into an empty place.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Right, So this seems like something that was rooted in
the settlement of the United States, where everybody was coming
here and just squatting on property that wasn't theirs, and
then they make these laws and say, hey, this is ours.
Now you can't get me out now here we are.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
But that was a land grab when we're all going
west to pan for gold right back.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
In the day, you see a land from other people,
and now it continues.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
I don't I'm just this is one of those stories.
I just don't get it. What's that I do know that, you.
Speaker 5 (03:34):
Know, it's basically maintaining a property, right because I had
a vacant lot next to me to my house and
doing some research. If they haven't maintained a lot for
ten years, then you can claim ownership. But then, like
you said Elvis, it's a long laborious process.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Yeah, to do that. Yeah, if you own the house
or the lot, you still own it. But you can't
just call the police and have them kick them off
the property. Well, depends on what state you're in.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Yeah, because in Florida now they just passed the law
now that it's illegal squatters that you can't have them
removed from the property.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Now in the state of Florida, that's a good thing.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
I just ask my husband, who's real estate agents New Jersey.
So I said, do you know the rules of squatters
in New Jersey? And he said no, they change all
the time, and they are very intricate, so it's tough
to know the exact laws and allowances of what landlords
can do.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
I will tell you, huh, not far down the road
from our house, out in the country, there's people living
there that don't own their house really, and so we're like,
what do we call the police. We're trying to find
the owners. We can't find them. Someone passed away, then
it got passed down to someone someone bought someone in
the family bought the house for a dollar, just you know,
change the name over to them, and yeah, can't find them.
(04:46):
H here's Alisha, Alicia. This happened on your street, right right, Yeah, I.
Speaker 6 (04:50):
Live in Connecticut. A woman down the street passed away
and the house was vacant for months, and when her
family finally came in to sell it, there was actually
a squatter in there who had moved tables and chairs
and appliances that didn't work because there was no power,
but he had a full grown a rug in there.
He was living in there for months at the time,
(05:11):
and when somebody actually finally bought the house, he refused
to leave, so they changed the locks, but he broke
in through a window and they still let him stay there.
The cops let him stay there.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Well, I see, I don't I don't understand.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
It doesn't make sense if it's not yours, it's not yours.
I mean, why is it not that simple?
Speaker 1 (05:29):
I don't know, but I'm assuming there are there are
rights group human rights groups out there that saying no, no,
no no. I mean, it was a lot.
Speaker 6 (05:37):
It took a lot to finally get him out. Somebody
finally bought the house and started to flip it, and
then they must have filed something to get him out officially.
But yeah, he had a full living room in there,
He had stuff in the kitchen, he had food in
the pantries. He was just living there for free.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Wasn't there a story? I guess I think it was
here in New York there was a guy going online
and he was communicating to a lot of immigrants who
were coming over the border, saying, here's how you get
a house. Look to these houses that they are empty,
move in, and so I think he is. They let
him have it.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Still, I have a question if somebody goes, say, you
know a lot of people get summer homes, so they
move out of their mansion because they get a summer
home down the beach and it's beautiful. So they're not
in their home for three months. Can I technically then
move in?
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Really this happened in California, Los Angeles. There's a mansion
like in bel Air. Then they took it over and
everyone in the neighborhood knows. And of course California, being
an extremely liberal state, they're like, well, no, we can't
do anything.
Speaker 6 (06:32):
Oh, look look up this new hobby because I would.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Love Yeah, God, give me an address. I'm gonna go squat.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Seriously, I know some people will get a nice summer
home and their other house is not too shabby.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Lisia, thank you very much. I hope everything gets worked
out on your street. Thank you. Love you, guys, love
you more so asking for a friend.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
If my apartment building has been irritating me with some
things and I just stopped paying rent, they can't kick
me out.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
There's a process they have to go through. The eviction
process is very lengthy. Yeah, they can't just move your
stuff in a hotel. If it's a hotel, it's different. Okay.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I think I think this happens with Airbnb's a lot too.
I've seen some videos of people who had a renter.
Then those renters just stayed and they couldn't do anything
to get them out. It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
It's crazy.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
We have someone center text. Is this the one you're
talking about? Yeah, they're oh listening. This morning, I'm going
to court this morning for a squad that's living in
my Brooklyn property and they've taken me to court for repairs.
What so we have the holdover in one court room
this morning and then the case against them is for repairs.
They're assuming because I'm not repairing my place I own.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
I spoke to him. He didn't want to go on
the air. Okay, they've been there for two years, and
I asked them, well, how much have you spent in
legal fees?
Speaker 1 (07:48):
He goes, I couldn't even calculate that at this point. Wow, Stephanie,
this is so wild. Stephanie. You work for a landlord
tenant court, so you still see all this all the time.
So you're live in the state of New York. So
what's going on in the state of New York As
far as squatters.
Speaker 7 (08:03):
Well, they have rights after thirty days, the landlords or
owners have to take them before it to have them removed,
and the less time that.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Yeah, why do they have this? Why do they have
these rights? Where? Where does this come from?
Speaker 7 (08:17):
New York State law? Thank your congressman.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Yeah, but at some point, Stephanie, I'm just kind of
curious they had to put this into law, and something
caused them to put it into law. I'm trying to wonder.
I'm wondering what story there is to tell about why
squatters have rights. But we can't figure that out.
Speaker 7 (08:36):
Yeah, I can't figure that out. But they do. They
do have rights. And it's a long process. And you know,
it goes by how long they've been in the property.
If they've been there up to a year, you have
to give them a thirty day notice. A year to
two years, it's a sixty day notice, and anything over
two years it's a ninety day notice.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Oh my god.
Speaker 7 (08:54):
So it could be quite lengthy, quite lengthy.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Thank you, Stephanie. Thank you very much.
Speaker 7 (09:00):
A nice to talk to you.
Speaker 5 (09:01):
I love you guys.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Listen every day for a year. Listener, Well, you know what,
we've been here for thirty years because we're squatting.
Speaker 7 (09:09):
They kill you doing a great job.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
They've been trying to the victims for years. All right,
Thank you Stephanie, thank you very much. What's up? Scary?
Speaker 8 (09:15):
So if I own property and you break into my house, yes,
you can be arrested for breaking and entering. Yes, so
I still own that property and squats show up, why
don't they get arrested for breaking it?
Speaker 1 (09:26):
If they're well in the state of New York, if
they're there thirty days, they are protected more than more
so than not. So the upside down. Okay, okay, oh
here you go. What once you use that microphone over there?
You found it? Why do squatters have rights?
Speaker 5 (09:39):
It's to help urban residents find affordable housing. Well that's
extremely affordable. Yeah, what a good deal. It was a
legal right meant to allow people to settle in abandoned
or unused properties or to build homes on unclaimed land.
The intent was to prevent people and property owners from
taking law into their own hands, encouraging resolution through legal
channels instead of potential physical confrontations.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
So initially it did start through colonialism.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Yeah, yeah, homestead Act, Like this land is claimed, I
own it.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
This land is my land.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
Land, it's not your land. From California to New York Islands,
from the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters. This
land's made for you and me.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Apparently you had a point. I don't.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I'm just you know, there are abandoned buildings all over
the place. So if I go and find a mall
and I just sit there for thirty days, then that
mall is mine.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
I don't know. I don't know. It may be a
residential thing, maybe a mall thing. I don't know. You
can live there at Gandhi. You can live there at
the old Anti Anne stand. This is Gandhi Square mall. Yeah.
So when Sentata Texas Anna Delvey didn't she squint?
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (10:53):
She did. This is crazy. I know. We're just trying
to figure it out. It's so strange.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
I guess the lesson is every twenty nine days, check
on your property.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
If you do, you prove how do you prove along
they've been there? How do you to prove that? I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
If someone I'm not advocating for this, but if someone
hired other people to extract those people from the house.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
I've heard how they do this, Okay, How you send
someone to your house and have them remove the heating system,
the unfinishing system, make sure there's no electricity going to
the place. You pull the doors off, the hinges on
the front door of the back door. Okay, a lot
of money. It does cost a lot of money.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
I was thinking more like, hire some big people to
just yank am out of.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
The house, how Gandhi style. Now you're going goodbye. Yeah
it's economical. Yeah yeah, but then they're going.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
To say something. You know, they got hurt and harassment.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Yeah, you get taken a jam.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
I don't know, insanity, I don't know nuts. I just
don't know anymore.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
This was the first time I've been thankful to have
no property.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Thank god I have no property. We got to hurry up.
I gotta get a home.