Serving New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Garden City Park, North Hills, Manhasset Hills and North New Hyde Park
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Friday, July 19, 2024
Vol. 73, No. 29
N E W H Y D E PA R K
KIDS GUIDE
NASSAU HOSPITALS NASSAU OFFICIALS REACT RANKED AMONG BEST TO TRUMP SHOOTING
PAGES 19-22
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Seven words aid in squatter removals Sillitti says change in state law brings peace to homeowners BY C A M E RY N O A K ES Just seven words have been added to New York State’s laws defining tenants, making it easier to remove squatters from homes in an action that Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti (D–Port Washington) said will restore peace to many neighborhoods. “The devil is in the details,” Sillitti said. “That small change will hopefully make a big difference.” In the state’s 2025 budget that passed in April, a legislation change was made as well to no longer define squatters as legal tenants. The property law change is just the inclusion of seven words: “A tenant shall not include a squatter.” “This was a simple change in the law,” Sillitti said. “It makes it clear that a squatter is not entitled to the same rights as legal tenants.” Sillitti co-sponsored the legislation, saying squatter issues are one that specifically affect her district. Before the legislative change, Sillitti said homeowners struggled to remove squatters who had resided in their properties for more than 30 days. After 30 days, the law previously required homeowners to go through housing court to remove squatters. Sillitti said this was typically a long, drawn-out and expensive process.
In 2019, before Sillitti joined the state Assembly, tenant protections were strengthened in the state, but Sillitti said this did not designate legal tenants separate from squatters. This included the designation of a tenant after 30 days of occupying a home. The addition of the seven words now makes it illegal for undesignated individuals to occupy homes, giving police the ability to remove squatters as they have violated the law. In instances where a home is abandoned or owned by a bank, Sillitti said it still can be more difficult to remove squatters as there is no homeowner to be a victim. But Sillitti said many cases happening locally do involve a homeowner. New Hyde Park has specifically had problems with squatters in the past year, with two instances being resolved in the past four months. The most recent incident was resolved just last month when three individuals were arrested and removed from the home at 109 Evans St. after a year of occupying it. Once emptied, the house’s locks were changed. The Evans Street house was in the midst of the foreclosure process last year. It was set to go to auction, thanks to the cooperation of the seller, who was the late homeowner’s son, when Continued on Page 36
PHOTO BY MICHAEL MALASZCZYK
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signs a bill banning transgender athletes from women’s competition into law. Within hours, he was sued by New York States Attorney General Letitia James for this.
James sues county over transgender athlete law BY M I C H A E L MALASZCZYK State Attorney General Letitia James and the New York Civil Liberties Union sued Nassau County and County Executive Bruce Blakeman Monday in a move to overturn a county law that bans transgender girls and women from participating in women’s sporting events at county-run parks and facilities. James filed her lawsuit immediately after Blakeman signed the
legislation into law at a ceremony attended by county legislators. The law, approved by the county Legislature in a 12-5 vote along party lines, would apply equally to private and public school teams, recreational leagues of all ages, charity events, and even competitive professional and amateur adult teams with their own rules on participation. The law closely mirrored an executive order issued by Blakeman in February. A Republican State Supreme
Court justice ruled Blakeman had exceeded his authority by issuing the order because there was no “corresponding legislative enactment.” Neither Blakeman nor members of the Legislature have provided a single case in which the law would apply. James said the law he had just signed into law conflicts with state laws protecting New Yorkers from discrimination based on their gender identity or expressing it. Continued on Page 37