In Brooklyn, New York City, a four-story townhouse in the South Williamsburg area has been left vacant and unoccupied by the owner for years. In September of this year, around 50 squatters forcefully occupied the premises. These individuals engaged in drug use, damaged property, and even stole from neighboring residents. After multiple complaints from local residents, the police finally evicted them. To prevent further squatting, the homeowner quickly installed Wi-Fi and a video surveillance system, and hired someone to guard the entrance 24/7.
According to the New York Post, the multi-story residential building located at 60 4th St. South Williamsburg was taken over by a group of young people around September 21, causing disturbances to nearby residents. They not only stole packages and threatened passersby, but also vandalized private property, used drugs on the premises, and even set off fireworks in the early morning, creating chaos in the surrounding community.
Witnesses found a large number of needles and drug paraphernalia used for heroin consumption left behind during the occupation. During the cleanup operation, the police arrested 26-year-old Ryan Grewal for allegedly damaging a motorcycle outside the JANE Motorcycles store, charging him with a serious crime.
Records from the Department of Buildings indicated complaints on September 24 and October 6 regarding the property. The complaint on October 6 revealed that 50 people were illegally residing in the building, presenting a forged lease agreement to the police with the signature of the previous property owner, who was no longer in possession of the property and had passed away.
On the 7th, a reporter visited the building and found it to be a four-story red brick residence with fire escape stairs. A security guard named Jose Torres, clad in a white hoodie, was stationed at the entrance and remained close by, even eating lunch there. Torres shared that he was temporarily filling in for his brother, who had just been hired as a 24-hour guard.
Signs reading “BEWARE OF THE DOG” were posted on the air conditioning unit on the first-floor window, and a new rolling door was installed on the side entrance connecting two separate garages. Torres mentioned that the female homeowner, who is of Chinese descent, promptly installed Wi-Fi and surveillance cameras after the squatters were evicted by the police to monitor the movements of intruders and planned to start renovations on the building.
According to real estate website Zillow, the four-story building with four family units and two separate garages covers a total area of 6,096 square feet and was built in 1910. It was last sold in August 2021 for $2.63 million, and its current estimated value is $4.15 million.
Local residents mentioned that the area is generally safe, with nearby factories and newly built luxury apartments. Due to its proximity to Domino Park and the Williamsburg Bridge, as well as its shorter distance to Manhattan, the location is advantageous. Prices of apartments in newly constructed buildings in the area are quite high.
Residents in the community are predominantly immigrants from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Italy, and Poland, with occasional Chinese-run restaurants or spas in the neighborhood. Generally, the area is considered safe with regards to public safety.
However, in cases like this where squatters unlawfully occupy a property for an extended period, the homeowner may struggle to swiftly remove them. Under New York City’s current “squatter’s rights” law, squatters who reside for 30 days are granted tenant status, requiring the landlord to go through a lengthy legal eviction process to evict them.
Governor Hochu of New York signed the 2025 fiscal year budget in April, including amendments to property rights laws clearly stating that “trespassers do not include tenants.” This new law is effective immediately, allowing property owners facing similar situations to directly report to the police for intervention and eviction without going through a protracted eviction process.
Meanwhile, the New York City Council is also pushing for related legislation. Council members like Sandra Ung have introduced “Intro. 997,” aiming to streamline the process for police to evict unauthorized squatters, while Susan Zhuang’s bill “Intro. 907” requires city agencies like the police department, housing authority, and development authority to track and report on squatting situations citywide. Council member Vickie Paladino is advocating for changing the squatting period from 30 days to 180 days. However, as of now, these efforts have yet to yield results.
In addition, real estate host and journalist Leo emphasized the importance of enhancing security measures like installing cameras, strengthening doors and windows, creating the appearance of occupancy, seeking assistance from neighbors to monitor the property, refraining from changing locks without proper procedure, and abiding by the law while leaving the property unattended.