Newburgh City Council Adopts Good Cause Eviction

NEWBURGH – On Monday, following extensive organizing by grassroots organization For the Many, the Newburgh City Council voted unanimously to adopt Good Cause Eviction at the local level, which the state granted municipalities authorization to do earlier this year.

Over a dozen tenants, homeowners, and advocates spoke in favor of Good Cause Eviction at the hearing, citing rising rents and evictions – which Good Cause would give tenants recourse against – as causes of Newburgh’s unprecedented housing crisis. Notably, no one at the meeting spoke against the legislation.

“Passing a strong version of Good Cause Eviction is an important step to protect Newburgh tenants from the housing crisis decimating our city,” said Rene Mejia Jr., Newburgh Community Organizer at For the Many. “But it’s not the end of the road. The City of Newburgh must complete a new vacancy study as soon as possible so the Council can once again declare a housing emergency and establish rent stabilization. For the Many will continue organizing to ensure the study is done in a timely manner and renters get the relief they need and deserve.”

Newburgh’s newly adopted Good Cause Eviction law, which is the strongest version possible, will give qualifying tenants protection from unreasonable rent hikes and evictions. The measure includes a portfolio size exemption of 1 and a high rent exemption at 345% of Fair Market Rent, which is the gold standard for Good Cause. The cities of Kingston, Poughkeepsie, and Beacon, all of which recently passed Good Cause Eviction, adopted similar versions.

For the Many previously organized in Newburgh to pass a version of Good Cause Eviction in 2022, and, last year, pushed the city to conduct a vacancy study, as required to enact the Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA) and establish rent stabilization. Both measures were struck down in court, with a judge ruling that Newburgh’s Good Cause law was in conflict with the state’s; another judge asserted, with regard to ETPA, that the city did not properly conduct its vacancy study. Thanks to the state’s authorization this year for municipalities to adopt Good Cause Eviction locally, Newburgh’s new Good Cause law will stand. The City of Newburgh is currently working to conduct a second vacancy study, which will surely determine if the city’s vacancy rate is below 5% as required, in order to opt back into ETPA. For the Many will continue to mobilize tenants in support of expediting the study and establishing rent stabilization.

Newburgh, which has been hit particularly hard by the Hudson Valley’s housing crisis, is one of several upstate municipalities where there has been a push to enact rent stabilization and expand tenant protections following the City of Kingston’s adoption of ETPA in 2022. After opting in, Kingston set a negative rent adjustment of 15% followed by a rent freeze, which was recently upheld by a state appeals court. Focused on providing protections for as many tenants as possible, and not just those covered by ETPA, For the Many is currently organizing for local Good Cause locally across the Hudson Valley. Since the launch of the campaign, the cities of Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Beacon, and, now, Newburgh have all opted into Good Cause Eviction. For the Many is continuing to run campaigns in New Paltz, Middletown, Hudson and Town of Poughkeepsie.

In order to educate tenants on their rights, connect them with legal services, and offer them guidance in their dealings with landlords, For the Many has launched a tenant hotline. Tenants can call (845) 481-0882 to be connected with these resources.