11 FAQs about Good Cause Eviction in New York City. 

Good Cause Eviction is a piece of legislation that passed in New York in April 2024. The law went into effect immediately and limits rent increases on market-rate apartments and entitles tenants to a lease renewal if they uphold the terms of their lease (i.e. paying rent and following the rules of the building). Tenants can challenge increases above 10% or 5% + inflation (whichever is lower). In NYC, there are 2.2 million rental units, half of which are rent-stabilized. Rent-stabilized tenants have a lot of protections already; their rent can only go up a certain amount every year and they are entitled to a lease renewal. Essentially, the landlord can never ask them to leave. But with the other half of apartments (market-rate apartments), landlords could increase the rent to whatever they wanted and choose to not renew a tenant’s lease. Good Cause addresses that issue and offers more protections for SOME market-rate tenants. Keep in mind, Good Cause does not apply to everyone, everywhere. Here are 11 frequently asked questions about the new Good Cause Eviction laws.

1. Did Good Cause Eviction pass for all of New York State or just New York City?

Good Cause passed, but does not automatically apply to all counties in New York State. NYC is automatically enrolled in Good Cause (all 5 boroughs). Other parts of the State need to opt in. 

2. Does Good Cause Eviction apply to me and my building?

Good Cause Eviction does NOT apply to the following examples:

• Buildings where a Certificate of Occupancy was issued after January 1, 2009. These buildings will be exempt for a period of thirty years following the issuance of the certificate.
• Buildings with less than 10 units where the landlord lives are exempt.
• Buildings owned by a landlord that owns less than 10 units total are exempt.
• Rent-stabilized units.
• Co-ops, condos, dorms, and hotels.
• To tenants who have a rent of 245%+ of the local fair market rent (see what the local FMR for your county is here).

For example; if you live in Manhattan and your rent is above any of the amounts listed below, Good Cause Eviction does NOT apply to you (based on FMR data from 2024). 

The exemptions and carve outs are a bit confusing. Search for your address on openigloo and see if it has a Good Cause Eviction badge on the building profile.

3. What if my landlord owns multiple units under different LLCs? Do they still have to follow Good Cause?

Yes. If a landlord owns 1 LLC with 5 units and a different LLC with 10 units, they own 15 units. That’s more than 10 total. So they need to abide by the terms of Good Cause Eviction.

4. How can I confirm how many LLCs my landlord owns?

This is tricky. There’s no scientific way to confirm. However, on openigloo, we’ve built thousands of landlord profiles to take out the guesswork. We’ve consolidated LLCs on various owners so you can get a better sense of how big or small your landlord is. Search for your building on openigloo to learn more.

5. What happens if my landlord sells the building? Do I have to move? 

You do not have to move. The new owner has to abide by the terms of Good Cause Eviction and give you a lease renewal if you are following the terms of your lease. A landlord can only ask you to move IF they want to give your unit to a family member or demolish the building.

6. How can I find out if Good Cause applies to me? 

Your landlord by law must disclose if Good Cause applies to you. They have 4 months from April 2024 to catch up to the disclosure requirements. You can also type your address into openigloo and see if it has a Good Cause Eviction badge. If it does, it’s likely the laws apply to you. Double check to make sure your rent does not surpass the 245% FMR exemption mentioned above.

7. My rent went up by 20% last year. Am I entitled to a refund?

No. Good Cause Eviction went into effect April 23, 2024. Good Cause does not apply to renewals signed before that date. You’ll benefit when you sign your next renewal.

8. I am rent-stabilized…does Good Cause Eviction apply to me? 

No. Good Cause Eviction does not apply to rent-stabilized tenants. Stabilized tenants already benefit from limited increases set by the Rent Guidelines Board.

9. I am subletting. Am I protected by Good Cause Eviction?

Good Cause Eviction does not apply to sublets. 

10. What can I do if my landlord increases my rent by more than 10%? Are they allowed to do that?

Landlords are technically allowed to increase the rent by more than 10%, if they can justify it (maybe they did significant improvements to the apartment/building or perhaps their expenses went up a lot). But they’d have to justify it in court if the tenant chooses to challenge it. If you want to challenge the increase, you need to take your landlord to housing court where they will need to present to a judge WHY they are increasing your rent beyond the threshold set in Good Cause Eviction. 

11. What can I do if my landlord isn’t renewing my lease and they’re supposed to?

You could challenge the non-renewal in housing court and file a case.

Good Cause Eviction is a bit complicated and has its fair share of criticism from landlords and tenants alike. If you’re apartment hunting and looking for price stability, prioritize renting in a building where Good Cause Eviction applies. Browse available listings on openigloo.