
Renters in Poughkeepsie Gain Massive New Protection
The housing crisis has been a major point of conversation among residents living in Poughkeepsie. With the boom of temporary rental units taking over the area during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, rental prices and housing costs have been astronomical.
On Tuesday, July 9th, the Poughkeepsie Common Council passed major new protections for renters and tenants living in Poughkeepsie.
What is 'Good Cause Eviction'?
The measure passed by the Poughkeepsie Common Council is known as Good Cause Eviction.
According to the Legal Aid Society, Good Cause Eviction essentially, "protects some tenants from huge rent increases and requires a landlord to have a good reason for evicting a tenant."
The protections get their name from the concept that landlords are required to have a "good cause" in order to evict tenants. Prior to these protections, tenants renting month to month were most vulnerable to being evicted at the whim of the landlord with no prior notice required.
Additionally, if tenants are paying their rent on time and following the clauses of their lease, they are guaranteed the option to renew their lease.
Good Cause Eviction also provides some protections to help combat unreasonable rent hikes.
According to Housing Justice For All's press release on the matter,
Tenants covered by Good Cause will be able to challenge rent hikes that are more than the Consumer Price Index (CPI) + 5%, (8.45% upstate as of May 2024) or 10%, whichever is lower.
Who is Eligible for Good Cause Eviction Protections in Poughkeepsie?
There are parameters that determine which tenants are eligible for Good Cause Eviction protections.
Here are the criteria:
- The tenant must be living in a building that was built prior to 2009.
- The tenant must be paying less than 345% of the Fair Market Rent. For Poughkeepsie, this means the tenant must be paying less than approximately $4,900/month for a one-bedroom unit.
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These protections do not apply to tenants who live in condos or co-ops, tenants who live in already rent-stabilized, subsidized, or public housing, or tenants who live in an "owner-occupied building with fewer than 11 units."
If a landlord only owns one unit, their tenants are also not eligible for Good Cause Eviction Protections.
When Do Good Cause Eviction Protections Begin in Poughkeepsie?
These protections were approved by the Poughkeepsie Common Council in a unanimous vote on Tuesday, July 9th. The protections will be in motion once the Mayor of Poughkeepsie, Yvonne Flowers, signs them into law.
Kingston, Albany, and New York City are the only other cities in New York that have opted to adopt Good Cause Evictions since its authorization by New York State in April of 2024.
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