Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are shedding light on the growing squatter crisis in America with their new docuseries, Squatters: Get the F*** Out of My House. The six-part series, now available on Disney+ in Canada, follows 'experienced squatters' who exploit legal loopholes to live rent-free, while homeowners face arduous battles to evict them.
Personal Reaction to the Crisis
Ripa admitted that the stories left her shaking with rage. 'I'm very much, if something is unjust, it enrages me,' she told PEOPLE magazine. 'I was shaking through half of these stories, just like shaking from rage.' Consuelos echoed her sentiments, expressing shock at how difficult it is for homeowners to remove squatters once they claim residency. 'Oh, I would be in so much trouble if this happened to me,' he said. 'All the things I thought about doing are against the law.'
Inspiration Behind the Series
The idea for the docuseries came to Ripa after reading a Vanity Fair article about a notorious squatting case in Malibu. 'I said, 'This is something. We have to make this into something. This is wild,'' she recalled. The series aims to expose the audacity and destructive nature of squatters, who not only live rent-free but often damage properties by removing appliances, fixtures, and even flooring to sell for profit.
Most Impactful Story
Ripa and Consuelos were particularly moved by the story of Adele Andaloro, a Queens homeowner who was arrested after trying to enter her own house. Andaloro had inherited a $1-million property from her parents and was attempting to sell it when she discovered squatters had changed the locks. Despite bringing a news crew to document the situation, she ended up in handcuffs because New York City law grants 'squatter's rights' after 30 days of residency. Under this law, homeowners cannot change locks, turn off utilities, or remove squatters' belongings. 'It's enraging,' Andaloro said at the time. 'It's not fair that I, as the homeowner, have to be going through this.'
Other Stories Featured
The series also includes a Colorado family whose home was taken over by a man claiming to be their dead relative's common-law husband, and a New Jersey woman whose fight to reclaim her first home escalated into a standoff with a S.W.A.T. team. Consuelos noted that while the show can be frustrating to watch, the resolutions are 'pretty fun' and worth the emotional rollercoaster.
Future of the Series
Consuelos hinted that the series may continue beyond these six episodes. 'We're just scratching the surface, honestly,' he said. 'I think it's not just state to state, it's community to community.' The docuseries highlights a pervasive issue that affects homeowners across the United States, and Ripa and Consuelos are committed to bringing these stories to light.
