eviction

A banner on one of the tents reads “Halftown Must Go.” It’s a reference to a dispute between a faction of Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ and the tribe's de facto leader.

One Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' family said they believe the surprise demolition of their grandmother's home was an act of retaliation for their past criticism of Halftown.

The Garcias have been without water since the start of February, when their landlord, Douglas Ritter, turned off the service to their upstairs apartment on Mary Street.

Advocates for "Good Cause" eviction in Ithaca say it would give more negotiating power to tenants who are in a vulnerable position.

"I am in talks with the Senate Majority Leader and Assembly Speaker to call a special session to address the impending eviction crisis."

Residents eligible for the city’s rental assistance program must have experienced a COVID-19-related hardship, such as a loss of income or employment since March 2020 and earn either equal to or less than 50 percent of the Area Median Income.

“I’m at 70 percent of my normal collections. So it’s kind of hard to pay the bills when you’re collecting only 70 percent of your rents.”

“We can provide all the rental assistance in the world, if there’s no actual home to put someone in, then there’s no roof to put over someone’s head."

The legislation would apply to both residential and commercial tenants who file a hardship declaration form with their landlord.

“Those properties, to be honest, should really be condemned, but people have to live there because it’s the only place that they’re able to afford."