S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8996
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               April 8, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  LIU,  COMRIE, PERSAUD, STAVISKY -- read twice and
   ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
   Housing, Construction and Community Development
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  real  property  actions and proceedings law, in
   relation to clarifying the status of squatters for purposes of removal
   proceedings
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The opening paragraph of section 711 of the real property
 actions and proceedings law, as amended by section 12 of part M of chap-
 ter 36 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   A tenant shall include an occupant of one or more rooms in  a  rooming
 house  or a resident, not including a transient occupant, of one or more
 rooms in a hotel who has been in possession for thirty consecutive  days
 or longer.  No tenant or lawful occupant of a dwelling or housing accom-
 modation  shall  be removed from possession except in a special proceed-
 ing.  A TENANT SHALL NOT INCLUDE A SQUATTER. A SQUATTER IS A PERSON  WHO
 ENTERS ONTO REAL PROPERTY OR ENTERS A BUILDING WITH THE INTENT OF SQUAT-
 TING  THEREIN,  AND  RESIDES  WITHOUT  TITLE, RIGHT OR PERMISSION OF THE
 OWNER OR OWNER'S AGENT OR A PERSON ENTITLED TO POSSESSION. A SQUATTER IS
 NOT SOMEONE WHO ENTERED THE PROPERTY WITH THE PERMISSION OF  THE  OWNER,
 OWNER'S  AGENT  OR A PERSON ENTITLED TO POSSESSION WHERE SUCH PERMISSION
 WAS REVOKED. A special proceeding may be maintained under  this  article
 upon the following grounds:
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15136-02-4