A family of interior designers in Queens, New York, bought a $2 million house next to their own, intending for their sons to live there and care for their brother with Down Syndrome in the future.
However, a former caretaker, Brett Flores, who lived in the house, claimed squatters’ rights and filed for bankruptcy to prevent eviction by the Landas.
“Mrs. and Mr. Landa, or any of their representatives, do not under any circumstances have my consent to enter my residence here,” a sign left on the house read. “I decline any contact request with the Landas, and any contact will be interpreted as harassment. Kindly forward all communications to my lawyer, Dennis O’Sullivan, whose contact info is listed below. Thank you.”
The Landas’ lawyer is working to lift the bankruptcy stay and proceed with a trial to evict Flores.
Flores demanded a large sum to leave, but the family refused.
“We’re in the process of having the automatic bankruptcy stay lifted so that we can go back to court and proceed with a trial,” Landa family lawyer Anthony Mordente said. “I think we’ll be successful. I don’t have any reason why the bankruptcy judge would have any reason to keep the stay in effect.”
“They bought it subject to him being present in the property, and they continued the prior case that was commenced by the nephew as the owner under the trust, so they stepped into the former owner’s shoes, so to speak,” Mordente said, noting the Landas requested he continue the case.
“A squatter is technically someone who breaks into a property, so he has entered without the permission of his employer, so he’s technically not a squatter in the legal sense of the term,” Mordente said. “In my opinion, he doesn’t have any possessive interest in the space because, in point, his employment has been terminated by the death of his employer.”
Residents in the area were unaware of the situation, with some claiming to have seen other unauthorized individuals in the house.
