binghamton city council

The city will likely be the latest municipality to adopt New York state’s tenant protection law, which limits the amount a landlord can raise rent or terminate a paying tenant’s lease.

Binghamton could become the next upstate New York municipality to opt in to New York’s "good cause eviction" law. On Wednesday, the city council voted to hold over the legislation to opt into the rental protections until its next business meeting February 12.

Democratic Binghamton City Council Member Olamni Porter resigned this month after a year in the position. Porter said he is leaving, in part, because of friction between the council and the mayor.

The Binghamton City Council voted unanimously to approve the zoning reform legislation Wednesday. In recent years, cities across the country have implemented zoning reform to ease restrictions on housing development.

The law puts a limit to how much landlords can raise rent at one time. It also limits the reasons a landlord could refuse to renew a tenant’s lease.

Rathmell plans to reduce food insecurity and improve access to mental health care. She also wants to increase affordable housing units and reform the city’s housing code enforcement system.

The ballot proposal will change the way members are appointed to the commission. The commission is meant to investigate claims of discrimination in the city, but it has been sitting empty since 2016.

Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham said the city’s population grew for the first time this year since 1950.

Binghamton residents in the city council’s 6th District will vote in a special election in November, choosing between the same two candidates who tied in last year’s election.

The Binghamton City Council passed legislation last week to include people facing homelessness as a protected group under the city’s anti-discrimination laws.The legislation prohibits local institutions, landlords and employers from denying services to residents because of their housing status.