Overview
- New York City created an Office of Deed Theft Prevention inside the Department of Finance to flag suspicious filings, educate homeowners, and support efforts to return stolen homes.
- Attorney Peter White, a veteran of deed theft, foreclosure, bankruptcy, and landlord‑tenant cases at Access Justice Brooklyn, will direct the new office.
- The mayor’s budget sets $500,000 for the office this year with $1 million in later years, falling short of the $10 million he pledged during his campaign.
- The office lacks direct enforcement power and will coordinate cases with the state Attorney General and local district attorneys while enlisting pro bono lawyers for affected owners.
- Political pressure has intensified after Council Member Chi Ossé’s arrest during a Bed‑Stuy eviction protest, as the Attorney General called that dispute a property matter and Progressive Caucus members urged the governor to pause evictions in suspected fraud cases.