Ayisha Doyle and her mother are facing the devastating reality of losing their historic Bedford-Stuyvesant home after a New York City court approved a partition sale, putting their decades-long ownership at risk.
The ordeal began in 2017 when Doyle’s estranged uncle allegedly sold a 75% stake in the family property to Theodore Zucker, a real estate investor from Long Island. This shocking transaction blindsided Doyle and her mother, who had just paid off the mortgage on the home that had been in their family for over 50 years.
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Doyle first learned of the sale through an unexpected call from a man claiming to have purchased the share via a company called Arlo 67 LLC, which is connected to Zucker. The discovery prompted Doyle and her mother to take immediate legal action in an effort to safeguard their property. However, the situation was complicated by the fact that Doyle’s grandmother’s will was never probated after her death in 2007. Records indicate that Zucker paid $300,000 for the share, with a deed allegedly signed and notarized in Australia.
Doyle and her attorney have challenged Zucker’s purchase, questioning his ability to locate her uncle and provide proof of payment. Although Zucker’s first three attempts to force a partition sale were rejected by judges, who ruled that Arlo 67 LLC had no legitimate claim since the uncle never legally acquired any share to sell, a fourth attempt succeeded on a technicality. This resulted in the partition sale of the Bed-Stuy home. The property was auctioned on June 6 for $1.7 million, with Zucker’s LLC as the buyer, although the sale has not yet been finalized.
“The court, in issuing their judgment of partition and sale and allowing the premises to proceed to auction, has confirmed that Arlo has a valid ownership interest therein,” stated Zucker’s attorney.
In response to cases like this, the New York State Attorney General’s office has organized community sessions to help prevent foreclosure and deed theft. Additionally, $150 million has been allocated to fund legal services to assist homeowners, recognizing the urgent need to protect vulnerable property owners from partition sales and similar threats.
As they await the final outcome, Doyle and her mother are grappling with the heartbreaking possibility of losing their cherished home, a symbol of their family’s legacy in the Bed-Stuy community.
A recent community information session on preventing foreclosure and deed theft, organized by State Attorney General Letitia James at Bed-Stuy’s Restoration Plaza, drew a full house of predominantly Black homeowners who voiced their frustration over investors targeting their neighborhoods.
Attorney General James addressed the crowd, highlighting the severity of deed theft, describing it as “a particularly heinous crime that robs individuals of their homes without their knowledge.” She emphasized the widespread nature of the problem across New York State and explained that her office, in collaboration with the governor and legislature, has committed $150 million to fund a network of 90 legal services that will provide free assistance to homeowners.
James also revealed that from 2014 to 2023, the New York City sheriff’s office received 3,500 complaints of deed theft, with over 1,500 of those cases originating in Brooklyn alone.
