Two alleged squatters, Lance Hunt Jr. and Rondie L. Francis, who used a Shake Shack receipt to occupy a $930,000 home in Queens, New York, abandoned suing the lawful owners after refusing to leave the property for months. Top Nest Properties broker Ejona Bardhi Shyti first discovered the squatters in March residing in a property she manages for owners Juliya Fulman and Denis Kurlyand. Fulman invested $530,000 in the property and expressed dissatisfaction with the conclusion of the case, feeling that she did not receive full justice due to the alleged abuse of the court system by the squatters.
Fulman believes that squatting rights go against the American dream of owning a home and emphasized the need for lawmakers to speak out against squatters to prevent them from winning. She expressed her frustration with loopholes in the law that allow squatters to take advantage and urged for stricter laws to address the issue. Despite the end of the lawsuit against her and her husband, Fulman stressed the importance of advocating for honest homeowners to protect themselves from squatters who are trying to drive people out of New York.
The alleged squatters, Hunt and Francis, claimed legal residency in the Queens duplex and provided documents such as a residential lease agreement, utility bills, and mail addressed to them at the property. They also submitted a Shake Shack receipt and alleged that they had paid a security deposit and first month’s rent. However, Fulman and Kurlyand refuted these claims, stating that the documents provided were fraudulent and clearly photoshopped. This led to a legal battle between the lawful owners and the alleged squatters, who were eventually forced out of the premises.
Fulman stressed the need for homeowners to advocate for themselves amidst the ongoing squatter crisis in New York and to prevent squatters from taking over properties. She expressed a desire for justice and reimbursement for their time and legal fees, despite feeling that the case did not accomplish much. Fulman highlighted the importance of addressing fraudulent actions by squatters and the challenges faced by homeowners and landlords in reclaiming their properties when faced with such situations. The complexity of squatter and tenants’ rights laws across the country, including in New York, leaves victims with few options and often forces them into costly and lengthy civil processes to reclaim their properties.
