A property owner in New York City found herself in a tense situation after squatters allegedly took over her inherited home in Flushing, Queens. The homeowner, Adele Andaloro, 47, inherited the $1 million property from her deceased parents and recently put it on the market. However, upon returning to the home, she discovered that squatters had moved in and changed the locks.
During a confrontation with the alleged squatters, Andaloro and a film crew entered the property to find her belongings being used by the occupants. The police were called, and the squatters were asked to provide proof of residing in the home for over 30 days, as per New York City law.
Despite Andaloro presenting the property deed, the squatters were escorted off the premises for failing to demonstrate their residency. However, a man claiming to be on a lease for the home later forced his way into the property, leading to Andaloro being arrested for unlawful eviction after changing the locks.
The man, identified as Brian Rodriguez, asserted that he had signed a lease through a realtor but did not provide documentation. He demanded compensation for work he claimed to have done on the property or insisted on a court order for eviction.
Andaloro is now pursuing an eviction filing in landlord-tenant court, a process that can take an average of 20 months to resolve in New York City. This incident adds to a series of high-profile squatting cases in the city, including one where a family with a child who has Down syndrome has been unable to move into their $2 million home due to a squatter.
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