AG James Protects NYC Tenants in Illegal Lockout Settlement
A Brooklyn property manager must pay penalties, compensate four occupants and adopt new safeguards against unlawful evictions.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has secured a settlement addressing illegal lockouts in NYC after her office found that a property management company changed apartment locks while lawful occupants were away. The agreement sends a clear message: A landlord or property manager cannot remove someone from a home simply by changing the locks and bypassing the courts.
Spigro Management LLC and its lead property manager, Saul Friedman, agreed to pay $23,500 in penalties and a combined $4,200 to four people whom the Attorney General’s Office found had been unlawfully evicted. Spigro must also establish a written lockout policy, train its employees and report future unlawful-eviction proceedings to the state through July 15, 2029.
The settlement does not amount to an admission of the central lockout findings. Spigro and Friedman neither admitted nor denied the Attorney General’s findings concerning the four incidents, according to the signed Assurance of Discontinuance.
What the Attorney General’s investigation found
Spigro is based in Brooklyn and manages more than 40 buildings containing over 3,000 apartments across New York City. Many are cooperatives or condominiums where pre-conversion tenants remain rent-stabilized, according to the Attorney General’s announcement.
The Attorney General’s Office opened its investigation in May 2025 after receiving complaints about lockouts. Investigators found that Spigro had unlawfully removed occupants from four properties in Brooklyn and the Bronx between 2020 and 2025.
The signed settlement also states that 14 people had brought unlawful-eviction cases involving Spigro-managed properties since 2020. Spigro admitted that such cases had been filed but neither admitted nor denied the state’s findings about the four lockouts described in the agreement.
“Spigro callously violated the trust, safety, and privacy of occupants by illegally changing their locks while they were not home,” James said. “Attempting to evict people from their homes by sneaking in and changing the locks is as sinister as it is shameful. My office will always take action against any property manager or landlord that violates tenants’ rights.”
Four occupants allegedly returned to locked homes
The cases detailed by the Attorney General’s Office involve people facing bereavement, illness and employment hardship.
A son locked out after his mother’s death
One Brooklyn occupant had reportedly lived with his adoptive mother in the same apartment for more than 22 years. After his mother died, Spigro claimed it believed that she had lived alone.
The occupant told investigators that he took out the trash and returned to discover that his lock had been changed. The following day, a neighbor reportedly told him that the landlord was removing his belongings without permission.
A 45-year resident sought succession rights
A Bronx occupant said he had lived with his father for 45 years. After his father died, the son requested succession rights to the rent-stabilized apartment.
According to the settlement, Spigro disputed whether the son lived there and changed the locks after an earlier eviction case had been dismissed. A Housing Court judge subsequently determined that the action was an illegal eviction. An appellate court denied Spigro’s appeal, finding that the occupant could not be removed without legal process.
A building-access fob was deactivated
A third occupant lost access to his building shortly after his partner died when his electronic key fob was deactivated.
Spigro said a family member had authorized the lock change. The Attorney General’s Office found, however, that no other family member had the legal authority to provide that permission.
An injured porter returned from surgery
The fourth person worked for Spigro as a porter and lived in the basement of a Brooklyn building. After he was injured at work, he filed for workers’ compensation and underwent surgery.
The Attorney General’s Office said he returned from surgery to find his lock changed and his employment terminated. When he attempted to regain access, Spigro allegedly claimed that he had never worked at the property.
What Spigro must do under the settlement
The agreement requires more than a financial payment. It creates operating rules intended to prevent future illegal lockouts in NYC.
Spigro and Friedman must:
- Pay $23,500 in state penalties.
- Pay the four affected occupants between $1,000 and $1,200 each by Sept. 15, 2026.
- Adopt an internal policy explaining when residential locks may legally be changed.
- Train existing staff on that policy by Sept. 15, 2026, and train new employees going forward.
- Maintain a log listing each lock change, its date and the legal authority permitting it.
- Notify tenants and employees living in company-provided housing of their rights.
- Avoid renting an apartment to someone else when a person is claiming lawful occupancy, unless a court has issued an order.
- Inform the Attorney General’s Office of unlawful-eviction proceedings involving its properties through July 15, 2029.
The $23,500 penalty will be directed to an affordable-housing settlement fund used for programs serving people and families with low incomes.
What is an illegal lockout?
An illegal lockout occurs when a landlord, owner or property manager forces a lawful occupant from a home without completing the required court process. It can include changing locks, removing belongings, blocking building access or using other tactics to prevent someone from entering the home.
In New York City, a person who has legally occupied a residence for at least 30 days generally cannot be evicted without a court judgment and warrant of eviction—even when that person does not have a written lease.
The New York State court system confirms that a lawful occupant of at least 30 days may not be removed without a court order. A lawful eviction is normally carried out by a marshal, sheriff or other authorized officer after the landlord wins a court case.
This protection does not mean occupants can never be evicted. Landlords retain the right to file lawful cases involving unpaid rent, an expired right to occupy a property or other recognized grounds. What they cannot do is skip the judicial process and conduct a “self-help eviction.”
What tenants should do after a lockout
New York City advises anyone experiencing an unlawful lockout to act quickly:
- Call 911 and report the lockout.
- Gather proof of occupancy, such as a lease, rent receipts, utility bills or mail addressed to the apartment.
- Go to Housing Court in the appropriate borough and request an emergency order to be restored to possession.
- Call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline for a referral to free legal assistance.
These steps are outlined by the city’s illegal-lockout assistance program. Individual circumstances can differ, so occupants should seek qualified legal advice promptly.
Settlement reinforces the role of due process
A home is more than a piece of property. It is where people keep their medication, identification, clothing, family records and the ordinary possessions needed to live. A surprise lockout can immediately place a person at risk of homelessness.
That is why due process matters for both sides. Property owners have access to Housing Court when they believe someone no longer has a right to occupy an apartment. Tenants and other lawful occupants have the right to answer those claims before they lose their homes.
This settlement reinforces that changing a lock is not a substitute for a court order. New Yorkers who believe they have been unlawfully removed should document what happened, preserve proof that they live in the home and seek help immediately.
