Council to require Department of Finance notifications intended to curb deed theft

Council members introduced two related measures intended to reduce title fraud and deed theft by improving Department of Finance notification procedures.

Council member Natasha Williams said Intro 10‑86 would require the Department of Finance to notify property owners within 30 days of any deed‑ or mortgage‑related filing by mail and optionally by email or text, describing the proposal as “a straightforward fix with powerful impact.” Williams credited Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A (as cited in the transcript) for elevating the issue and said the change would help homeowners who currently learn of problematic filings only after options are limited.

Council member Crystal Hudson described Intro 8‑89, part of the package she introduced out of her 2024 State of the City priorities, as a bill that would require the DOF’s recording notification system to also notify the local council member when the recorded instrument affects a property held by the same party for at least 30 years.

Both sponsors framed the bills as preventive steps to: alert homeowners and local representatives earlier; connect potentially affected residents to legal services; and reduce the burden of protracted foreclosure and litigation that can follow fraudulent filings. Hudson said the notification to council members would allow proactive outreach to constituents and connect them with appropriate resources if fraud is detected.

The transcript contains sponsor remarks and advocacy acknowledgments but does not include recorded vote results. The measures discussed include Intro 10‑86 (owner notification within 30 days) and Intro 8‑89 (council‑member notification for long‑held properties). The transcript identifies Brooklyn Legal Services as an advocate that helped shape the proposal.