‘Good Cause Eviction’ leaves tenants and property owners concerned

The recent passage of a $237 billion state budget has brought significant changes to eviction rules in Rochester, New York, sparking controversy among both tenants and property owners. The revised rules are meant to make evictions more difficult, particularly to protect tenants who pay rent and comply with their lease terms from unfair evictions and rent increases. However, Ritti Singh from Housing Justice for All criticized the modifications, claiming they effectively exclude about 3.4 million people, particularly in Upstate New York. Singh encourages concerned tenants to contact the Rochester Tenants Union. On the other side, property owners argue that the new “Good Cause Eviction” rule, which requires judicial approval for evictions, could make it nearly impossible to evict problematic tenants. Matt Drouin of the Freedom First Real Estate Investor’s Association expressed concerns that the rule might lead to more vacant, unrepaired housing in Rochester due to financial constraints on landlords who cannot raise rents to cover repair costs. The changes have led to a heated debate about the balance between tenant protection and property owners’ rights.

Source: Rochester First