New jersey bill to prevent illegal house squatting and pirating proposed

TRENTON, NJ — Assemblyman Michael Torrissi Jr. has introduced Bill A731 in response to a growing national issue of squatters unlawfully occupying homes.

This legislation aims to criminalize squatting, which is currently not recognized as a criminal act, forcing property owners to undergo legal processes for eviction.

Bill A731 emerges as a countermeasure to the increasing cases where families return from vacations or trips to find their homes occupied by squatters, and incidents where squatters take residence during property transactions. Torrissi emphasizes the need for urgent action to protect homeowner rights and to halt these invasions of privacy.

“Squatters have been exploiting legal gaps, causing distress to homeowners,” stated Torrissi. “Bill A731 is a step forward in ensuring such acts are met with legal consequences.” The proposed bill intends to simplify the eviction process by introducing three new criminal offenses related to unlawful property occupancy, making squatting a crime of the fourth degree.

Torrissi highlights the legislation’s dual purpose: to empower law enforcement in dealing with squatting incidents and to provide homeowners with a more direct route to reclaim their properties. “This bill will equip police with necessary tools to address squatting, benefiting communities and homeowners alike,” he added.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.