Nyc Launches New Unit To Combat Deed Theft 

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has created the Office of Deed Theft Prevention, a new unit housed in the Department of Finance to coordinate citywide efforts to combat fraudulent property transfers, according to an announcement on Friday.

“The theft of a home is the theft of a family’s future,” Mamdani said in a statement. “Deed theft preys on the New Yorkers who can least afford it. Today, we are bringing the full force of City government to bear to stop it — to protect homeowners, defend generational wealth and make clear that this City will not tolerate the exploitation of our communities.”

The mayor also named Peter White — an attorney with Access Justice Brooklyn who has spent years representing homeowners facing foreclosure and alleged deed theft — as the office’s first director. In his new role, he is expected to shape the city’s strategy on early detection of deed fraud, homeowner assistance and integration of new state enforcement tools.

Deed theft schemes typically involve forged signatures, fraudulent notarizations or deceptive contracts that result in the unlawful transfer of title from an owner to a scammer or shell company. Thousands of deed theft complaints have been filed across the city over the past decade, with concentrations in Brooklyn and Queens, the mayor’s office said.

City officials noted that Black homeowners and communities have been disproportionately targeted, exacerbating racial wealth gaps and destabilizing neighborhoods. For the housing industry, the schemes can cloud title ownership, trigger litigation, stall transactions and undermine confidence in public land records.

The new office is designed to bring a “whole-of-government” approach to the problem by coordinating among the Department of Finance, which records property documents; the Sheriff’s Office; the New York City Commission on Human Rights; the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection; and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. It will also work with state and local partners, including the New York attorney general and local district attorneys.

Created under Executive Order 16, the Mayor’s Office of Deed Theft Prevention leverages recent state legislation strengthening tools to investigate and prosecute deed theft. It will flag suspicious property filings, coordinate with law enforcement, conduct public education and outreach, promote preventative safeguards and improve data sharing across agencies.

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