Brooklyn, NY – On Friday, May 16th, New York State Senator Jabari Brisport and Assemblymembers Jo Anne Simon and Brian Cunningham, joined by the December 12th Movement and directly impacted community members, announced the introduction of a new package of bills targeting deed theft.

Historically, legislation targeting deed theft has primarily focused on penalizing deed theft after it has occurred. The package announced on Friday is instead focused on prevention and restorative justice. 

Deed theft disproportionately impacts communities of color in rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods and is a rampant problem in New York. The New York City Sheriff’s office received nearly 3,500 complaints of deed theft between 2014 and mid-2023. Over that same period, they made arrests in cases involving fraudulent property transactions with a total value of over $52 million dollars.

“Housing is a human right, but under capitalism, our homes are treated as potential profit sources for the real estate industry – which drives gentrification and incentivizes deed theft,” said Senator Brisport. “This package will help protect our community through meaningful structural change to reduce the frequency and success of attempted deed theft.”

“Deed theft is a cruel and calculated crime that has robbed too many New Yorkers of their homes, especially in communities of color. At 90 years old, Mr. Cortez is fighting for the home he rightfully owns, and he's not alone. Like Mr. Cortez's case, many incidents of deed theft remain unresolved because the statute of limitations has run out. That's why we have introduced a bill that creates a one-year lookback window so victims and law enforcement can pursue justice. I'm grateful to Senator Brisport for partnering with me on this critical bill,” said Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon.

“As the son of Caribbean immigrants, this issue hits close to home. I know what it means to fight for your place in this city and what it means to fear losing it all. Our district has some of the highest rates of deed theft in New York. This bill gives victims a way to take back what’s theirs and gives communities like ours a fighting chance to stay rooted, safe, and whole, said Assemblymember Brian Cunningham.

“Thanks to Senator Brisport and Assemblywoman Simon, victims of deed theft and deed scam like my father, Ray Cortez, will now be able to further their fight in regaining the rightful ownership of their homes through these proposed Bills,” said Ray Cortez Jr., son of deed theft victim Ray Cortez.

“Today, we stand at a pivotal moment for homeowners and victims of unfair and deceptive practices in the housing market. The introduction of the Private Right of Action bill is a groundbreaking step toward restoring justice and accountability for those who have been wronged,” said Carmella Charrington, who also experienced deed theft.

"The black community is being systematically destroyed by bankers, government policies, criminal landlords, predatory real estate brokers and deed theft is straight up Ethnic Cleansing, an international crime against humanity,” said Lateefah Carter, of the December 12th Movement.