Title: Council Member Chi Ossé Arrested and Thrown to Ground by NYPD During Deed Theft Eviction Protest

When I saw the video of Council Member Chi Ossé being thrown to the ground by NYPD officers during a protest against a woman’s eviction in Brooklyn, it hit me not just as a journalist but as someone who’s spent years covering how housing policy plays out on the ground in cities like ours. This wasn’t just another clip going viral—it was a raw, visceral reminder of the human stakes behind the abstract term “deed theft,” something we’ve been tracking closely here in Chicago where similar patterns are emerging in neighborhoods from South Shore to Austin.

The incident outside that Brooklyn brownstone on a chilly February morning wasn’t isolated. Just two days prior, Ossé had stood alongside The People’s Coalition to Stop Deed Theft and other elected officials at a press conference announcing a new initiative to combat New York City’s growing deed theft crisis. They weren’t speaking in hypotheticals—they cited thousands of complaints filed over the past decade, with Black homeowners in Brooklyn bearing the brunt of a scheme where fraudsters steal properties through forged documents, then initiate eviction proceedings against the actual, often elderly, owners who may not even realize their home has been stolen until marshals show up at their door.

What made Ossé’s arrest particularly jarring was the context: he wasn’t opposing a routine eviction. He was protesting the potential displacement of Carmella Charrington, a Black homeowner whose case he’d been advocating for, as highlighted in his own social media update just days before. The coalition’s demand was specific and legally grounded—urging Governor Hochul to use her executive authority to impose a temporary eviction moratorium on properties where deed theft is suspected, modeled after the COVID-19-era protections. They pointed to existing legal tools like §756-A of the Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law and CPLR §5519 as mechanisms that could keep families in their homes while courts untangle the fraud—a targeted pause, not a housing freeze.

Here in Chicago, we’ve seen echoes of this crisis. While our legal frameworks differ, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office has reported a noticeable uptick in questionable eviction filings in predominantly Black neighborhoods on the South and West Sides over the last 18 months. Community groups like the South Side Community Land Trust and lawyers from the Metropolitan Tenants Organization have documented cases where long-time residents, often seniors, suddenly face eviction based on documents they never signed—classic hallmarks of deed fraud that mirror what Ossé described in Brooklyn. The emotional toll is identical: the terror of losing not just a house, but a generational asset, a community anchor, sometimes the only wealth a family has.

Given my background in urban policy analysis, if this trend impacts you in Chicago, here are the three types of local professionals you need to know about, and exactly what to look for when seeking their assist:

• Foreclosure Defense Attorneys with Niche Expertise in Property Fraud: Look for lawyers who specifically mention experience with “quiet title actions” or “deed fraud defense” in their practice areas—not just general foreclosure help. The best will offer free initial consultations, know the intricacies of Illinois’ Recording Act (765 ILCS 5/30), and have established relationships with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds’ fraud investigation unit. Ask if they’ve successfully halted evictions based on forged documents in cases similar to Charrington’s.
• HUD-Certified Housing Counselors Specializing in Heir Property and Title Issues: Seek counselors affiliated with agencies like the Northwest Side Housing Center or Greater Southwest Development Corporation who carry explicit HUD certification and mention expertise in “heir property” or “clouded title” resolution. They should help you navigate free title searches through the Cook County Assessor’s office, connect you to pro bono legal aid via Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, and understand the specific protections under the Illinois Homeowner Protection Act. Avoid those who push paid “title repair” services without clear nonprofit affiliations.
• Community Organizers Focused on Anti-Displacement and Property Rights: Connect with groups like the Chicago Anti-Eviction Campaign or the Southwest Organizing Project that run regular “know your rights” workshops specifically addressing deed theft and fraudulent evictions. Effective organizers don’t just host meetings—they help residents monitor the Recorder of Deeds website for suspicious filings on their properties, assist in filing affidavits of fraud with the Sheriff’s office, and maintain direct lines to aldermanic offices (like those in the 6th, 8th, or 20th wards) for rapid response when illegal eviction attempts occur.

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