At the end of his freshman year at Binghamton University, sophomore integrative neuroscience major George Boskovski decided to rent a house with his friends in Downtown Binghamton. Their lease started in June 2024, and over the summer, he decided to take a trip down and see the place for himself. After driving for about three hours, Boskovski entered his home, which was supposed to be vacant, and was met with nonperishables all over the dinner table, premade sandwiches in the fridge, several lights on and an open back gate. Confused and scared, he called the police, and upon their arrival, they did a walk-through of the house but found nothing indicating imminent danger.
Before leaving, they said: “It’s probably just squatters, but give us a call back if anything happens.”
Squatters are people who occupy property without the permission of the owners, and in the state of New York, they have rights due to adverse possession, a set of laws in place in New York state that allows people to claim ownership of land or property, even if they entered by trespassing, under specific conditions. The idea behind it is to promote the use and occupation of land, rather than leaving properties abandoned or unused.
There are a few criteria squatters must meet to have rights under adverse possession. First, the use of the property must be visible to the public. This means the squatter can’t hide or disguise their occupation of the property — it has to be clear that they are treating the property as their own. Second, the squatter must have exclusive use of the property, not sharing it with the owner or the public. In other words, they have to exercise control over the land, similar to how an owner would. Next, they must be “hostile,” which, in legal terms, means they must be living entirely without the consent of the actual owner. Then, they should be physically occupying the land by living, sleeping, eating, etc. there, making them distinct from trespassers. If they are just paying property taxes and maintaining the property, it does not count. The squatter can also claim ownership after occupying the property continuously for at least 10 years — if they move out and come back intermittently the clock resets. The exception is in New York City, where a squatter would only need to occupy the property for 30 days uninterrupted.
For rented units, the New York legislature does not allow squatters to become tenants, and it is up to the landlord to initiate eviction proceedings.
The distinction between trespassing and squatting — the time frame and lack of legal consequences for both — needs to be understood in the context of our city. One must look to the economic challenges Binghamton has faced in recent decades, particularly with the decline of its manufacturing base — the decline of International Business Machines and the Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company. While the city has seen some resurgence, economic struggles have made housing more unstable, leading to vacant homes and an increase in people looking for affordable or, even free, housing.
Due to Binghamton’s status as a “college town,” squatters work a little differently than in most places. College towns often have older housing stock, some of which are often converted into student housing. Binghamton sees a lot of student renters who lease properties for the academic year and vacate them during the summer or between terms. When these buildings are no longer rented out, the student population goes back home or landlords do not maintain them, they become vacant. However, with the student housing industry, many landlords don’t live near their properties, nor do they properly maintain or secure these properties during periods of vacancy. The concentration of these types of buildings, often in older, less developed areas, provide opportunities for squatters, who may not meet the legal definition of squatting or enter into a civil dispute with landlords, most likely unaware of the problem.
Students who have found themselves in situations like Boskovski’s can be met with little to no reassurance of their safety from the police. While landlords and the police may not see these transient “squatters” as legally dangerous, it is beyond unsettling knowing someone else is occupying your space in your absence. Not to mention, you don’t know the kind of people squatting, nor what they are capable of. No one should have to worry about encountering strangers in their home if they decide to return early from break.
For property owners in Binghamton, it’s important to regularly monitor vacant properties, secure them against unauthorized access and keep up with maintenance. Regular inspections, securing entrances and even having a security system can deter squatters from moving in. As for the city, local officials can enforce safety codes to prevent buildings from falling into disrepair and invest in projects, like transitional housing or affordable housing, to reduce opportunities for squatting. If squatters are found, taking legal steps to evict them as soon as possible is often the best course of action. Property owners who fail to address these issues may find themselves in prolonged legal battles or face the challenge of defending against adverse possession claims.
Just because a property is left unused or is not being carefully maintained by its owner should not give people the right to take over because they have nowhere else to go. This behavior should not be supported or encouraged by our government and police as it could put several young adults in the area in danger. Authorities and landlords need to start taking squatters seriously and enforce the proper precautions to keep tenants safe.
Suhiliah Lall is a sophomore majoring in cinema.
Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.