Viral Squatter Has Been Arrested On Several Charges In New York

Housing issues have been in the news a lot lately all over the nation. From New York and California to Florida and Arizona, housing is a hot topic just about everywhere you go. Whether you're in the market to buy a house or rent an apartment, if you've been looking around lately, you know better than anyone how tough things have become.

One of the most talked about topics lately has been the explosion of squatters taking over people's homes all over the nation. There have been several viral cases of squatters taking over people's houses in the Empire State. That includes one case where a million-dollar home was taken over in Queens, New York, by squatters, and the homeowner was subsequently arrested by the NYPD when she tried to take her home back.

READ MORE: Do Squatters Have More Rights Than Homeowners In New York?

Cases like that have people all over New York asking if squatters actually have more than homeowners in the Empire State. Lawmakers have wondered about that as well and have recently made a change in state law to make it easier for squatters to be removed from houses they have wrongly taken over.

READ MORE: New York State Assembly Ponders New Law To Make Squatting Harder

Now, it looks like one viral squatter is in trouble with the law as he's been arrested on multiple charges in connection with a million dollar property he's alleged to have taken over.

According to WNYW-TV, Brian Rodriguez was arrested and charged with multiple crimes, including burglary, trespassing, and more. The District Attorney for Queens County, Melinda Katz, announced the arrest after he was involved in having the homeowner of the property he's allegedly squatting in arrested.

He's due back in court in mid-May 2024 and is being held on house arrest until the next court date.

READ MORE: Squatters Take Over $2 Million Home In New York

This is a change of tactics in New York, as squatters are rarely arrested and charged with any crimes, and many police departments consider them to be civil / tenant disputes.

Hopefully, the new law passed by the state of New York will make a difference.