CHICAGO — A South Side homeowner was recently forced to pay $4,300 to a pair of squatters just to get them out of his house — even though they never had any legal right to be there. Now, the case is sparking calls to fix what many see as a broken legal system in Illinois.
Squatting Case Sparks Outrage in Chicago
Marco Velazquez discovered that two people, Shermaine Powell-Gillard and her boyfriend Codarro, were illegally living in his family’s vacant home. When he called police, they showed officers what appeared to be a fake mortgage document.
Despite doubts about the document’s legitimacy, police told Marco he would have to file a civil eviction case in court before they could take action. The delay could’ve taken months — possibly even a year.
Rather than wait, Marco paid the squatters $4,300 to leave his property.
Why Squatting Is So Hard to Fight in Illinois
Under current Illinois law, people who trespass into a vacant home can claim “tenant” status, which means property owners can’t immediately remove them — even if they’ve never signed a lease.
The law treats them like overstaying renters, not trespassers, and requires owners to go through the full eviction process in civil court.
A detailed analysis by Pacific Legal Foundation explains that this delay often forces homeowners to pay squatters to leave instead of waiting for costly court outcomes.
Growing Trend of Squatting in U.S. Cities
Illinois is not alone. Cities across the country are seeing a rise in squatting:
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Atlanta, Dallas, and Orlando had over 1,800 squatted homes in 2023, according to a national survey.
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In Georgia, squatting cases rose from 3 in 2017 to 198 by 2023.
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New York saw a fourfold increase in squatter disputes in the last four years.
Experts point out that the average legal eviction process in some states can cost thousands of dollars and last up to two years.
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Illinois Bill Could Change the Law
In response, state lawmakers have introduced Senate Bill 1563, a proposal that would allow police to immediately remove squatters from a home if the owner can prove legal ownership.
If passed, the bill would finally distinguish squatters from tenants and empower property owners to act without waiting months for a civil trial.
The bill has already advanced through committee and is moving toward a vote in the Illinois House.
Why This Matters for Every Illinois Resident
This is not just a Chicago issue — it’s a statewide concern. If you own property in Illinois, you could be at risk of having squatters take over and then being forced to go to court or pay them to leave.
The current system leaves homeowners vulnerable, and as squatting cases rise across the country, Illinois residents are demanding faster, fairer solutions.
Have you or someone you know faced squatting problems in Illinois? What steps do you think the state should take? Share your thoughts in the comments on ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
The proposed law should be passed. No documentation of legal entitlement to the property means instant eviction. If the evicted can later come up with evidence of contemporary legal entitlement and show that the evictor knew it, then the property owner should be subject to criminal or civil penalties.
Thanks for sharing your perspective, William. It’ll be interesting to see how the proposed legislation handles situations where both parties believe they have legal standing.
Besides a broken real estate reules and regulations system in Illinois and in perticular City of Chicago, it is a one sided one. It favors the renters in every steps of these rules, that’s why it takes months or year to evict someone as a renter. So not only this new law that how to deal with squtters is necessary it is also important to do a look over of the landlord and tenant rules and regulations as well. Our populist politicions in Illinois are hurting the real estates industry in our state by coming up new rules every now and then that put lot of pressure on rental property owners, and needs to be curbed
Hi Shawn,
Thank you for sharing your perspective. You’ve brought up an important concern that many property owners across Chicago and Illinois have echoed — especially regarding the balance between protecting renters and ensuring fair timelines for landlords. As lawmakers consider changes to squatter and eviction laws, we’ll continue to follow how those proposals evolve and what impact they might have on both sides of the housing market.
We appreciate your engagement with the topic. Stay tuned for updates!
— Chicago Suburban Family Editorial Team