NYC Fights Deed Theft with New Office

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on April 24, 2026, that the city is creating an Office of Deed Theft Prevention , a new unit intended to address fraudulent property title transfers. The move follows the arrest of Councilmember Chi Ossé during a protest tied to an alleged deed theft case, according to officials.

The office will sit inside the Department of Finance and is designed to handle complaints that involve claims of deed theft. City officials said it will investigate suspected fraud, step in when evictions are connected to such complaints, and run outreach aimed at homeowners considered at higher risk, including seniors.

Officials described deed theft as a long-running problem that has disproportionately affected Black and brown communities, with particular concern in Central Brooklyn and Southeast Queens. The city said the new office will also fund programs intended to help establish clear chains of ownership for properties, a step aimed at reducing vulnerabilities that can arise when title histories are complicated or disputed.

Peter White, described as a veteran homeowner attorney, was appointed to lead the new office. The city said the unit will coordinate work across agencies involved in finance, housing, and human rights, reflecting the mix of legal, administrative, and tenant-protection issues that can surface when ownership is contested.

City and state officials received about 3,500 deed theft complaints between 2014 and 2023 , according to the figures cited with the announcement. Officials also reported an additional 517 complaints in 2025 , with most of those reports coming from Brooklyn and Queens.

Officials said the underlying pattern often involves investors taking advantage of complex ownership records and family disputes, and in some cases using deception or forgery to obtain control of properties. They said one tactic can include targeting heirs who hold partial shares, then using that position to pressure a sale.

State lawmakers have already taken steps aimed at the same problem, including measures to raise penalties for deed theft and restrict speculative purchases, officials said. Attorney General Letitia James has also pushed for tools such as “cease and desist zones” and for a right to an attorney in foreclosure cases.

For homeowners and the city, the new office is intended to create a clearer pathway for reporting and investigating suspected title fraud while linking enforcement and housing-related responses. Officials did not provide a timeline for how quickly the office will process cases or how its funding programs will be allocated, leaving key operational details to be clarified as the unit begins work.