Mayor Mamdani launches Office of Deed Theft Prevention in New York City
Updated
Updated · WABC-TV · Apr 24
Mayor Mamdani launches Office of Deed Theft Prevention in New York City
4 articles · Updated · WABC-TV · Apr 24
Announced in Bedford-Stuyvesant, the new office, led by Peter White, will coordinate with law enforcement and city agencies to assist victims and prevent predatory property practices targeting communities of color.
The initiative follows recent protests and an arrest over an alleged deed theft eviction, though the case was later found to involve complex family ownership. The office will focus on education, outreach, and legal support.
Deed theft has affected thousands, with 3,500 complaints in the past decade and 517 in 2025 alone. The announcement coincides with debates over a proposed tax on multimillion-dollar second homes and concerns about its impact on city business.
Is a $1 million budget enough to combat NYC’s surging deed theft epidemic?
What immediate relief can homeowners expect from the city's new anti-fraud office?
The Queens DA has returned 23 homes. Can this new city-wide office replicate that success?
How will the new office distinguish complex family property feuds from criminal theft?
Could modern technology like blockchain be the key to making deed theft a crime of the past?