PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Tamara del Carmen, Director of Foreclosure Program at Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, on Title Clouding and Deed Theft Prevention
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Tamara del Carmen, representing Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, testified in support of Intro 1086 and other bills aimed at preventing title clouding and deed theft. She emphasized the importance of timely notification for property owners when deed or mortgage-related documents are recorded.
- Explained the concept of fraudulent title clouding and its impact on vulnerable homeowners
- Described how scammers use false or misleading claims to create confusion over property ownership
- Highlighted the need for better oversight to protect homeowners from title clouding and deed theft scams
Tamara del Carmen
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Good morning.
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My name is Tamara Del Carmen, and I am the director of the foreclosure program at Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation a or Brooklyn a.
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I'm here with my colleague, Alexander Knippenberg, senior staff attorney for our foreclosure program.
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Our team provides vulnerable homeowners throughout New York City with free direct legal representation, advice, and appropriate referrals to protect home equity.
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Our organization consulted with council member Nantasha Williams on the drafting of intro 1086 relating to the clouding of title, and we are eager to see it passed by the city council.
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By requiring timely notice when a deed deed or mortgage related document is recorded for a property, this bill would offer vulnerable homeowners a new resource to prevent title clouding and deed theft scams.
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Fraudulent clouding of title is a serious and growing issue for homeowners.
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It involves bad actors filing false or misleading claims, liens or encumbrances against a property's title with the goal of creating confusion over rightful ownership.
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Scammers seeking to cloud a title will file forged or invalid documents on properties at risk of foreclosure, making it difficult for the rightful owner to secure loan modifications or otherwise rectify the financial situation of their property.
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Title clouding scammers may then attempt to claim ownership of the property by pressuring the vulnerable homeowner into signing fraudulent documents or authorizing documents under duress, which are then recorded to create false claims on the title.
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Intro 1086 would address the current lack of adequate oversight in this area.
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Brooklyn A supports this bill and all the other bills introduced today and hope to see them passed.
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Thank you.