“Bridge Street Development Corporation is proud to stand in solidarity with Borough President Reynoso, Council Members Chi Osse, Farah Louis, and Sandy Nurse, homeowners, and community advocates demanding increased investment in the fight against deed theft,” said Gregory Anderson, BSDC President & CEO, at BP Reynoso’s press conference at City Hall recently on deed thefts.

“While Bridge Street does not provide legal services directly, our deep engagement with over 50 Central Brooklyn Block and Resident Associations has made clear just how critical legal support is for preventing these crimes and protecting longtime homeowners—especially our seniors.

“Recent high-profile cases, like the $7 million Sunset Park and $2 million Fort Greene indictments, are just the tip of the iceberg. And by the time legal action is taken, the harm has already been done. That’s two indictments to totaling $9 million — and that is the tip of the iceberg. The $5 million being requested for legal services is just a drop in the bucket. But it is an important drop in a critical bucket that must be filled.

“It is no coincidence that today’s rally takes place on the date originally scheduled for the NYC Tax Lien Sale—a process that too often serves as a roadmap for predatory actors targeting those in financial distress.

“With the extension of the sale date, as we speak, our office is printing the addresses from the 10-day lien sale list, and we will be partnering with the Brownstoners of Bed-Stuy who will once again go door-to-door in an effort to save as many of the 700 Council District 36 homes on that list as possible. There is no doubt that just as we are using the list to identify homes we can save, the predators and scammers are using that same list to identify homes they can steal.

“We urge the City to increase funding for free legal services to intervene early, prevent displacement, and safe guard the homes and legacies of vulnerable New Yorkers.”