Chicago homeowner moves in with alleged squatters who refused to leave property

A homeowner in Chicago found himself living with two suspected squatters who had taken over his property and refused to leave. Marco Velazquez was planning to sell his house in the South Side neighborhood when his realtor informed him about the unexpected occupants. The alleged squatters, Shermaine C. Powell and Codarro T. Dorsey, claimed they were the rightful owners of the house and even presented a mortgage document to support their claim. Despite officials not finding the mortgage in their records, city laws prevented immediate removal of the squatters. Velazquez, frustrated by the situation, decided to move in with the squatters to avoid a lengthy eviction process. After a negotiation, he paid them $4,300 to leave the property. Velazquez’s unconventional approach did not work, but he preferred this solution over a legal battle.