Mayor Zohran Mamdani Names Peter White As The Director of The New Anti-Deed Theft Initiative
On Friday, April 24th, 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. A major step aimed at protecting homeowners — particularly seniors, Black families, and vulnerable communities — from predatory real estate schemes that have stripped generations of New Yorkers of their homes and wealth.
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.
“The theft of a home is the theft of a family’s future,” said Mayor Mamdani. “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. I am proud to appoint Peter White as the director of New York City’s first-ever Office of Deed Theft Prevention, where he will write a new story of leadership and action.”
Mayor Mamdani appointed Peter White as the office’s first director, tasking him with coordinating citywide efforts to investigate deed fraud, support victims, increase public awareness, and strengthen protections against illegal property transfers and foreclosure scams. The move signals a growing recognition that deed theft is not just a housing issue, but an economic justice issue disproportionately impacting communities of color.
“I am deeply humbled to join the Mamdani administration as the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Deed Theft Prevention. I have worked to protect New York City homeowners throughout my career, and will carry that passion into my new role serving New Yorkers,” said Peter White, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Deed Theft Prevention. “I look forward to working with Mayor Mamdani and leaders across the city and state to bring an integrated approach to protecting working-class homeowners across the city.”
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.
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.
“By creating an office dedicated solely to combating deed theft, the Mayor is delivering on his commitment to protect vulnerable communities and help preserve generational wealth for New Yorkers most at risk of exploitation,” said Department of Finance Commissioner Richard Lee. “Critically, the office’s mission is both proactive and responsive: preventing deed theft before it occurs while ensuring a swift, effective response when cases arise. By dedicating resources and providing direct support to impacted New Yorkers, the office will help victims navigate the complicated web of legal, financial, and bureaucratic processes—connecting them with the tools and guidance they need to protect their home.”
For years, advocates have warned that deed theft has quietly devastated Black and Brown neighborhoods across New York City, where family homes passed down for generations were stolen through forged signatures, fraudulent transfers, and deceptive legal tactics. The creation of this office represents an acknowledgment that protecting homeownership is essential to protecting generational wealth and community stability.
“I commend the mayor for establishing this office, an effort I’m proud to support and inform,” said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. “At a time when working families – particularly Black families – are being forced out of our city by an affordability crisis, it’s important now that we provide homeowners with the resources and information needed to combat deed theft, unscrupulous actors, and untenable situations. Home ownership is a dream and a goal that builds wealth, builds power, and builds community. This is a generational fight for generational wealth and stability, and one we have to win.”
As a candidate, Mamdani promised to create an Office of Deed Theft Prevention to “protect homeowners from scam artists” and fund it to the tune of $10 million.
The mayor’s preliminary budget allocates $500,000 to the office in the current fiscal year and $1 million for the years after.
It is unclear how many dedicated staff the office will have other than White. Mamdani’s executive order creating the office also names a position for a deed theft prevention advocate.
