NY lawmakers and landlords share their thoughts on “good cause” eviction bill

New York City rents are rising, and as a result, some lawmakers and housing advocates are calling to pass the “good cause” eviction bill. The bill, initially introduced in 2019 by the state Senator Julia Salazar, gives tenants the right to automatic lease renewals if they pay rent on time and follow the rental agreement.

In addition, the new legislation prohibits landlords from evicting tenants with no “good cause” and provides tenants with the ability to fight evictions if they are based on rent increases greater than 3 percent or 1.5 percent of the Consumer Price Index. 

Last week, 11 New York Congress members voiced their support of the bill, City & State New York reports. They wrote a letter stating that the “good cause” eviction legislation “levels the playing field between tenants and landlords and can protect hundreds of thousands of families from unnecessary displacement.” The letter is addressed to NY Governor Kathy Hochul, Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Carl Heastie. 

“Tenants across New York State are facing unprecedented levels of housing instability following the pandemic and we must protect all households from evictions, especially residents in unregulated units,” Judith Goldiner, Attorney-In-Charge of the Civil Law Reform Unit at The Legal Aid Society wrote in the press release. 

“We urge Albany to pass this critical bill to help keep families housed, and applaud Congress Member Nadler and others from our Congressional Delegation for their support of Good Cause.”

Mayor Eric Adams said that he “supports the concept of the bill”. However, the “good cause” eviction legislation faces criticism from New York City landlords. The group of landlords’ associations, known as Homeowners for An Affordable NY, opposes this bill and argues that it will lead to significantly higher rents. 

“Good Cause Eviction means higher property taxes, fewer quality homes, and impossible burdens on property owners, further distorting the market and turning owning and renting property into a money-losing proposition,” wrote Homeowners for An Affordable NY. 

The proposed bill will target owners of market-rate residential units. Gov. Hochul has not yet supported or opposed this bill. 

Resources:

“Good cause eviction bill may have a real chance in Albany,” by Joseph De La Cruz (Riverdale Press, 2022)

“11 New York Congress members throw their support behind ‘good cause’ eviction bill,” by Candace Pedraza (City & State New York, 2022)

“Tenants call for ‘good cause’ legislation in NYC’s eviction epicenter,” by Gwynne Hogan (Gothamist, 2022)