Mayor Mamdani Establishes Mayor’s Office of Deed Theft Prevention, Appoints Peter White as Director

Office will coordinate a whole-of-government approach to protect vulnerable homeowners

NEW YORK – Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani established the City’s first Mayor’s Office of Deed Theft Prevention and appointed Peter White as the office’s director.

Deed theft, in which white-collar criminals use fraudulent filings to steal homes from longtime residents, is a persistent threat to working-class homeowners in New York. Families who have spent decades building stability and generational wealth are being targeted and displaced through complex scams that exploit gaps in oversight.

White, an attorney with Access Justice Brooklyn, has spent years representing homeowners facing foreclosure and deed theft. In his new role, he will lead a coordinated, citywide strategy to prevent fraud, support impacted residents and strengthen enforcement. White holds a law degree from St. John’s University and a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University, and has led extensive community outreach and legal clinic work alongside his practice.

Over the last decade, thousands of deed theft complaints have been filed across New York City, with the highest concentration in Brooklyn and Queens. Black homeowners and neighborhoods have been disproportionately targeted, deepening racial wealth gaps and destabilizing communities.

Recent state legislation has strengthened tools to investigate and prosecute deed theft. The new office will leverage those authorities while building a proactive, preventive approach across agencies.

The Mayor’s Office of Deed Theft Prevention will be housed in the Department of Finance (DOF), which records property documents, and will work closely with the Sheriff’s Office, the New York City Commission on Human Rights, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, along with state and local partners.

Established by Executive Order 16, the Mayor’s Office of Deed Theft Prevention will expand strategic enforcement against deed theft, flag suspicious property filings, coordinate with law enforcement, conduct public education and outreach, promote preventative safeguards and improve data-sharing across agencies.

April 24, 2026