Council to hold hearing on deed theft

November 19, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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CIVIC CENTER – THE CITY COUNCIL on Tuesday is set to hold a hearing on the proliferation of deed theft, a type of scam which occurs when someone illegally transfers ownership of a house or property by forging documents and signatures or other deceptive tactics. This has disproportionately affected low-income and marginalized New Yorkers, including in historically Black and Brown Brooklyn neighborhoods where home values have skyrocketed in recent years.

The Council’s committees on Aging and Consumer and Worker Protection will investigate both current protections for homeowners and the city’s plans for enhancing prevention and support. A new state law that took effect earlier this year classes deed theft as a felony. The Council will also hear two bills, one from Councilmember Crystal Hudson which would require a disclosure of home market values by prospective buyers, and one from Councilmember Kevin Riley which would offer assistance to affected homeowners.

The hearing will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 1 p.m. at 250 Broadway, and will be livestreamed on the Council’s website.

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