News of the First "Good Cause" Eviction Law

Inspired by the City of Albany enacting a "good cause" eviction law, housing advocates on Hudson's Common Council, principally former councilmembers Rebecca Wolff and Tiffany Garriga, proposed a similar law for Hudson. The Common Council voted to enact the law in September 2021, but the day before Mayor Kamal Johnson was to sign the legislation into law, Wolff announced at a Legal Committee meeting that she wanted to amend the law to eliminate transfer of ownership as a "good cause" for evicting tenants. It was determined that the best way to do this was to have the mayor veto the law and send it back to the Council. The law was amended and once again placed on the councilmembers' desks in November. When the amended law came up for a vote in December, it was defeated. The vote was tied, five to five, with one abstention. Six affirmative votes were required to pass the legislation.

Today, the Albany Business Review reports that a judge has ruled that Albany's "good cause" eviction law "conflicts with state law and therefore is preempted": "Judge strikes down Albany's 'good cause' eviction law."

Bills seeking to establish "good cause" eviction regulations at the state level, introduced in the New York State Assembly (A5573) and Senate (S3082), are still in committee.

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