“Army Veteran Frustrated as Squatters Occupy South Side Home; Must Wait for New Law Until January”

CHICAGO (WLS) — An Army veteran trying to sell his home says he’s struggling to get squatters to move out.

The man says squatters have been in his South Side house for more than a month. He called the ABC7 I-Team to get on the case.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker recently signed a bill to crack down on squatting, but that law doesn’t go into effect until January 1.

The veteran says he can’t wait until January. He needs the strangers out of his home now.

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It is yet another case of alleged squatting in Illinois.

“I just feel totally violated,” Army veteran Bradford Robinson said. “I really have no words for it. I’m an emotional wreck.”

This time, an Army veteran says his South Side home is the latest target.

RELATED | Squatting in Illinois: A Statewide Fight

Robinson mentioned that his realtor visited his property last month to show it to a potential buyer. However, upon their arrival, they discovered the lockbox was damaged and the locks had been replaced.

He says a woman named Brandy Bennett and several others had moved in.

Robinson recounted, “I asked, ‘Why are you in the house?’ She replied, ‘Oh, I live here.’ I was bewildered, ‘No, you can’t live here. We had a showing just last night at 8 PM.'”

Robinson said they called the police.

“The woman in the house presented a fraudulent lease,” Robinson explained. “Due to the lease, the police claimed there was nothing they could do… they encouraged me to seek help from you to report it, as you might have more influence in resolving the issue.”

The ABC7 I-Team has been reporting on the issue of squatters in Illinois for several months. Homeowners are desperate to remove individuals they consider squatters from their properties.

“I was just taken aback,” Robinson said. “I was surprised they would direct me to you, which I appreciate, but realizing the police essentially say there’s nothing I can do was shocking.”

Under current Illinois law, police cannot forcibly remove squatters from someone’s property. If a squatter presents a lease, irrespective of its validity, authorities must direct the legitimate owner to pursue action through eviction courts.

“I’ve had three offers on the table,” Robinson said. “Now, I have squatters… in my house that I can’t get out, nor can I sell the house.”

Pritzker signed a bill into law last month that would give police the authority to remove squatters and treat them as trespassers. That law doesn’t go into effect until January 1, 2026.

“I appreciate the governor signing the squatters’ bill, but with it going into effect in January, there’s an additional five, six months that I have to wait,” Robinson said.

ABC7 knocked on the door of Robinson’s South Side home, but no one would come out to speak.

State Representative La Shawn Ford, who co-sponsored the squatter bill, met with the veteran to see what he could do to help.

“I’ve been working with Speaker Welch, and we’re gonna do everything we can,” Rep. Ford said. “I asked if we can file a bill to make it effective in October.”

Robinson has a message for everyone in Springfield.

“Speed up the process to getting the squatters out because myself and other homeowners, we don’t have six months to wait,” Robinson said.

The Chicago Police Department told the I-Team that landlord and tenant disputes are civil matters, but Robinson reiterated these are not tenants. He says they’re squatters, and need to be treated as such.