The city of Ithaca is considering opting into “good cause” eviction legislation that limits rent increases and restricts when landlords can refuse to renew tenants’ leases.
State lawmakers in Albany voted in the new tenant protections during the latest legislative session. Under the law, landlords can only increase rents by 10% or by 5% plus the consumer price index, whichever is lower. Tenants who abide by the terms of their lease would automatically get the chance to renew their lease, with a few exceptions.
New York City is automatically covered by this law. But upstate communities, like the city of Ithaca, have to opt in.
The Ithaca Common Council is currently considering doing just that. Ithaca lawmakers and advocates pushed for good-cause eviction in 2022, but lawsuits attacking the city of Albany’s version of the law effectively killed the proposal.
If it passes, Ithaca would be one of the first municipalities to adopt the new measure. That possibility has garnered celebration from tenants’ rights activists, who see the legislation as a step towards creating more stability for Ithaca renters and preventing discrimination. However, some landlords argue that the measure creates an untenable financial burden for small property owners.
The council held a public hearing on the issue last week. Landlords and tenants alike packed city hall to voice their opinions on the proposal.
Katie Sims from the Ithaca Tenants Union described the protections the law would provide for renters.
“Just having the stability of knowing that you're gonna be able to stay in place is something that we all deserve,” they said.
Ithaca resident Theresa Alt also spoke in support of the good-cause protections, saying it would keep good tenants in their homes and free up resources for more vulnerable populations.
“Social workers will be able to concentrate on the harder cases for unhoused people who need support to become good tenants.”
But some landlords in the city are unhappy with the proposal, saying it would increase their operating costs.
Landlord Grace Patterson believes the council should adapt the proposal to provide a carve out for small landlords in Ithaca, like herself. In New York City, landlords who own fewer than 10 units are exempt from the law.
“As somebody who has previously experienced difficult tenants, we will seriously consider selling our duplex if you do not honor the state's definition of a small landlord, which would exempt us from this legislation,” she told the council.
Paul Rossi, a Corning resident and representative for the New York State Association of Realtors, said Ithaca’s version of good cause would have a significant negative impact on the rental market.
“It will cause local landlords to sell their properties to out-of-town corporate investors who don't care nearly as much about our neighbors and neighborhoods.”
The law exempts properties built during or after 2009 for 30 years from the regulations. Good cause won’t apply to student housing either.
The city of Albany has already opted into good cause and lawmakers in Kingston are considering doing the same.
The Ithaca Common Council is likely to vote on the issue next month.