Marco Velazquez, a Chicago homeowner, took an unusual step to reclaim his South Side property. The homeowner reportedly moved in with the very squatters occupying it.

Velazquez was preparing to sell his house when his realtor informed him it was already inhabited. When Velazquez arrived, he found Shermaine C. Powell and her boyfriend, Codarro T. Dorsey, living there and claiming ownership.

According to ABC 7 Chicago, the pair presented a suspicious mortgage document to justify their stay. Authorities, unable to verify the paperwork, said they were powerless to remove the couple without a civil eviction process due to Illinois law.

Powell, already facing charges for allegedly squatting in another home, including burglary and forgery, maintained her innocence, as reported by local media.

Frustrated by the legal stalemate, Velazquez decided to move into the house with his wife and friends, camping out in the living room while the couple stayed in a bedroom. “We stayed a whole night with them,” he told ABC.

When the tactic failed, the squatters allegedly demanded $8,000 to leave. After negotiations, Marco Velazquez reluctantly agreed to pay $4,300 in a cash-for-keys deal.

“I’ve heard stories, but never thought it’d happen to me,” he said.

This case has reignited debate over Illinois’ squatter laws. A proposed bill, SB1563, dubbed the “Squatter’s Bill”, is now advancing in the state legislature. The bill aims to allow swift removal of unauthorized occupants when rightful ownership is proven.