In October, Joseph and Susana Landa purchased their dream home for $2 million in a quiet neighborhood in Queens, New York.
Their wish was to retire peacefully in this home along with their disabled son Alex, ensuring he would be close to his brother, who lives right next door.
However, WABC-TV reported that the Landas’ dream quickly turned into a nightmare when they discovered that someone was already living in the house.
Advertisement - story continues below
The squatter, Brett Flores, claimed he had a “license” to live there from the previous homeowner, who had hired him as a caretaker and who died in January 2023.
The Landas told WABC they gave Flores a 10-day notice before attempting to enter their house, but they couldn’t get him out — in fact, he even called the police when they showed up.
According to the law firm Nadel & Ciarlo, squatters are considered legal tenants in New York after living at a property for 30 days.
“How can you have rights if you have no lease [and] you’re not paying rent?” Joseph Landa asked. “It becomes a nightmare, a total nightmare.”
Advertisement - story continues below
The Landas said Flores has been exploiting their home by listing rooms for rent online.
Adding to the couple’s woes, they are responsible for all expenses at the property. Susana Landa told WABC that Flores keeps the windows open all the time, racking up expensive heating bills for them.
Should squatters be considered legal tenants?
Yes: 2% (16 Votes)
No: 98% (867 Votes)
When the Landas took Flores to court, he showed up without legal representation and filed for bankruptcy, a move that, under New York City law, automatically prevented his eviction.
There have been five hearings in the case so far, with another one scheduled for April.
“Our system is broken,” Susana Landa said. “We have no rights at all.”
Advertisement - story continues below
The Landas aren’t the only ones in New York who have found themselves unable to live in their own home.
In December, News 12 reported that a Long Island family was left basically homeless after squatters took over their three-bedroom ranch while they were away for several months.
According to the outlet, a family friend who had agreed to watch the home in their absence started illegally renting it out, allowing the squatters to move in.
Advertisement - story continues below
A Note from Our Deputy Managing Editor:
I heard a chilling comment the other day: “We don’t even know if an election will be held in 2024.”
That wasn’t said by a conspiracy theorist or a doomsday prophet. No, former U.S. national security advisor Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn said that to the founder of The Western Journal, Floyd Brown.
Gen. Flynn’s warning means that the 2024 election is the most important election for every single living American. If we lose this one to the wealthy elites who hate us, hate God, and hate what America stands for, we can only assume that 248 years of American history and the values we hold dear to our hearts may soon vanish.
The end game is here, and as Benjamin Franklin said, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
All of this means that without you, it’s over. We have the platform, the journalists, and the experience to fight back hard, but Big Tech is strangling us through advertising blacklists, shadow bans, and algorithms. Did you know that we’ve been blacklisted by 90% of advertisers? Without direct support from you, our readers, we can’t continue the fight.
Can we count on your support? It may not seem like much, but a Western Journal Membership can make all the difference in the world because when you support us directly, you cut Big Tech out of the picture. They lose control.
A monthly Western Journal Membership costs less than one coffee and breakfast sandwich each month, and it gets you access to ALL of our content — news, commentary, and premium articles. You’ll experience a radically reduced number of ads, and most importantly you will be vitally supporting the fight for America’s soul in 2024.
We are literally counting on you because without our members, The Western Journal would cease to exist. Will you join us in the fight?
Adelle Nazarian has over 15 years of experience in journalism, geopolitics, and the media world. She is also an entrepreneur who has founded and served as CEO of several organizations. She enjoys traveling, is constantly learning and is inquisitive by nature. Adelle speaks English, Persian (Farsi), French and Mandarin Chinese. Follow Adelle Nazarian on X @AdelleNaz.
Adelle Nazarian has over 15 years of experience in journalism, geopolitics, and the media world. She is also an entrepreneur who has founded and served as CEO of several organizations. She enjoys traveling, is constantly learning and is inquisitive by nature. Adelle speaks English, Persian (Farsi), French and Mandarin Chinese. Follow Adelle Nazarian on X @AdelleNaz.
