On April 14, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a new Office of Deed Theft Prevention after the April 22 arrest of City Councilmember Chi Ossé brought renewed attention to how deed theft continues to threaten Black and other homeowners.
The office will be led by attorney Peter White, a longtime housing advocate who has handled deed theft litigation, foreclosures, bankruptcy, and landlord-tenant disputes, The City reports.
“The establishment of this office and the work going forward is an act of empathy for people,” White said during the announcement in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. “I see it as a direct correlation and an extension of the work that I’ve previously done. I’m excited to get this going.”
Deed theft often happens through forged documents, foreclosure rescue scams, and misleading sales that strip longtime homeowners of their properties. This can wipe out generations of family wealth in the process.
“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 issue exploded into public view after Ossé was arrested while protesting the eviction of Carmella Charrington from her family’s Bedford-Stuyvesant brownstone. Her supporters argue she is a victim of deed theft, though the New York Attorney General’s office said the matter was determined to be a property dispute rather than deed theft, News 12 reports.
Still, Ossé says the broader issue remains urgent, especially in historically Black neighborhoods like Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights, where rising property values have made longtime residents targets for predatory developers.
“Black displacement is happening right now in Bed-Stuy and Carmella is one of many Black homeowners battling deed theft in Brooklyn,” Ossé’s office said in a statement. “Not another Black homeowner should have their home stolen.”
For Black New Yorkers, deed theft has become more than a legal issue; it is tied directly to gentrification and generational wealth loss. Families who have owned brownstones for decades are often pushed out through complicated legal battles, foreclosures, or deceptive transfers, PIX 11 reports.
“It’s patently unfair,” White said of the racial and economic targeting. “I want to help stop it.”
White says the new office will focus on early detection, homeowner education, and helping families recover stolen homes. Even residents unsure whether they are facing deed theft will be able to seek help.
“Having a dedicated office that is creating awareness and educating people will help them figure out if they’re dealing with deed theft or not, or point them in the right direction to seek help even if they’re not dealing with deed theft,” Ossé told The City.
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