Advocates in Troy are preparing to push the city council to consider Good Cause Eviction.
Following the April passage of a New York state law authorizing the measure that provides protections for renters from landlords, residents in Troy are urging city councilors to consider a local version.
The measure would cap rent increases to the Consumer Price Index plus 5 percent or 10 percent each year and require landlords to provide good cause to evict a tenant. Examples include non-payment of rent, illegal use of property, and malicious damage to property.
Mark Speedy, a member of the Good Cause Troy coalition, says since Troy is a majority renter city, it's in its interest to opt in.
"We see very often that there are landlords who don't carry out their contractual obligations to repair buildings or to provide necessary amenities like heat or power, or, you know, a variety of other issues that can come up in these habitations and tenants are often afraid to complain to their landlords or complain to the city, because they know that their landlord can at any point, choose not to renew their lease for any reason," Speedy said.
The state legislation, which is only required in New York City, allows municipalities to opt-in by passing a local law.
Council President Sue Steele, a Democrat, says she's open to discussing it.
"Any time we can protect the rights of tenants, we should do that. I think the state law lays out a framework that is an important item. It also levels the playing field when it comes to landlords, so that you don't have overly restrictive landlords that are coming down on tenants for no good cause,” Steele said. “So, I think there are some, some very good parts of it that merit exploration.”
Earlier this month, Albany's Common Council opted in, making it the first city in the state outside of New York City to do so.
Albany Common Council Member Alfredo Balarin of Ward 11, a landlord who introduced the measure, says it doesn't apply to all landlords. Balarin says units that are owner-occupied where the landlord has less than 10 units are exempt.
"Good Cause does not protect anyone who doesn't pay the rent and doesn't meet their obligations for leases," Balarin said. “What it does do is protect those who have been paying their rent, been doing everything that they've been asked to and they agreed to by the lease."
Albany had previously passed the measure, but had to wait for a state law to enforce it.
Republican Troy Mayor Carmella is skeptical. Mantello says her administration is focused on overhauling the city's code department, which has been without a director for more than a year.
"From where I sit right now, we're focusing more on updating many of our registries," Mantello said. "I think I have mentioned to you we have multi-unit apartment buildings where the elevators were not being updated, registered, etc., through code. So, we took a step back. Now, literally, we're like 99% in compliance. I think only one right now is outstanding, so many of these registries just being proactive, being more accountable when it comes to property owners. That needs to happen first, and obviously enforcement."
Speedy, of the Good Cause Troy coalition, says the city isn't being transparent with its efforts to revamp the code department or make public a landlord registry.
"We have seen her talk about them, but they have not really borne fruit yet, at least not that we've seen right," Speedy said. "The landlord registry is still not up to date, and there's no public access to it, so we have no way of knowing, you know who owns individual buildings, or who the landlords are, and what kind of code violations that they have so Good Cause Eviction is really a step to give a little bit more power to the tenants in that tenant landlord relationship."
Opponents of the measure say Good Cause is an attack on landlords and private property rights.
