NEW YORK — New York lawmakers are putting forth new legislation to strengthen protections for homeowners of deed thefts.
The New York State Attorney General's office says deed theft is a growing problem that predominately targets Black and Brown homeowners.
The AG's office says deed theft is when someone takes the title or deed, to another person’s home without without their knowledge or approval. The scammers use this tactic to illegally obtain ownership of a property.
But, New York's current laws make it challenging for prosecutors to hold the criminals accountable.
District Attorney's across the state, including in Erie County, have had complaints of deed thefts.
Attorney General Letitia James, State Senator Brian Kavanagh, State Senator Zellnor Myrie, and Assemblymember Helene Weinstein announced the new legislation to help victims of deed theft and give the Attorney General's office the ability to prosecute these crimes.
“No one’s home should be stolen by a scammer without warning or reason,” said Attorney General James in a released statement. “Victims of deed theft are often older adults and people of color who are asset rich but cash poor. Homeownership is a stabilizing economic force for their families and loved ones, and deed theft robs them not just of their family home, but of their most significant financial asset and the community they have known for their entire lives. This legislation will provide real and necessary changes to our civil and criminal laws to stop the perpetrators of these crimes and provide the protections and remedies needed to keep people in their homes."
“At the Senate's hearings on deed theft last fall, we heard from many homeowners and their families who lost everything to scammers, fueling an exodus of longtime New Yorkers from the communities they've lived in for generations,” State Senator Myrie said.
“Too often, state government has been unable to prevent or prosecute this destructive crime. I'm grateful to our Attorney General and my colleagues for introducing strong legislation to protect homeowners in Central Brooklyn and across the state.”
“I have been fighting to help hardworking homeowners in stay their homes for many years, and in particular, against the awful form of fraud known as deed theft,” Assemblymember Weinstein said.
“This type of fraud often takes advantage of the most vulnerable New Yorkers, literally ripping their homes away from them and profiting greatly from the equity seized. I have sponsored deed theft legislation in the past, but it is clear that the Attorney General and our District Attorneys need better tools to stay ahead of the fraudsters."
According to the Attorney General's office, deed theft itself is not a crime under the current law in New York state and that there aren't enough protections in place to stop the theft once it is in process.
For more information on deed theft: https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/deedtheft-webfriendly-english.pdf
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