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Syracuse's effort to adopt New York State's Good Cause Eviction Law came to a halt Monday (February 23) after the city's Common Council split evenly on the measure, effectively killing it — at least for now.
According to syracuse.com, four councilors voted in favor of the law — Chol Majok, Hanah Ehrenreich, Corey Williams, and Jimmy Monto — while four voted against it: Donna Moore, Marty Nave, Patrona Jones-Rowser, and Rasheada Caldwell. Local laws require five votes to pass.
Council President Rita Paniagua said she was unable to break the tie. City lawyers advised her that the tie-breaking power granted to council presidents in Syracuse's charter applies only to resolutions and ordinances — not to local laws. "The charter doesn't allow me to do that," Paniagua said.
What the Law Would Have Done
The Good Cause Eviction Law was signed into New York State law in April 2024, but cities must formally opt in for it to take effect locally. Had Syracuse adopted it, the law would have required landlords to show a valid reason — or "good cause" — before evicting a tenant. Acceptable reasons would have included nonpayment of rent, serious lease violations, illegal activity, or a landlord's intent to occupy the unit personally.
The law would also have allowed tenants to legally challenge annual rent increases exceeding a range of 5% to 10%, and it would have prohibited retaliatory evictions against tenants who report unsafe conditions or assert their legal rights.
Both Sides React
Supporters of the measure expressed sharp disappointment. Syracuse City Auditor Alexander Marion, who had produced a report analyzing the law's potential impact, called the outcome "a profoundly disappointing decision." Marion noted that 61% of Syracuse residents are renters and said the council "has chosen to make more Syracusans homeless."
Housing Justice for All Coalition Director Sumathy Kumar was equally direct. "Tenants are the majority in Syracuse — and they will not forget who stood with us and who stood for landlord profits," Kumar said in a statement.
Mayor Sharon Owens also voiced disappointment. "I remain committed to working with the Common Council, housing advocates, and community members to address the urgent need for housing stability and affordability in Syracuse," she said.
Opponents, however, argued that existing laws already protect tenants adequately. Jones-Rowser said the proposal ignored data showing the law could cause harm. "This is not speculation. We won't be able to say unintended consequences because if we looked at the data, we know what the consequences are," she said. Moore cited concerns about applying the law to landlords who own as few as two properties, calling it "a significant expansion of state law" with "real potential consequences for housing supply, small property owners, court operations and neighborhood stability."
The Road Ahead
Despite the defeat, advocates say the fight is not over. Just after the vote, the council appointed former Council President Helen Hudson to fill a vacant seat for the remainder of the year. Hudson publicly stated earlier this month that she supports Good Cause Eviction, and her vote could provide the deciding fifth vote if an amended version of the law comes before the council.
Two potential amendments have emerged. One would expand the definition of "small landlords" — those exempt from the law — beyond the one-unit threshold included in the original Syracuse proposal. Majok said he remains open to that discussion. "If it needs to be four units, I'm open to that discussion," he said. "I'm not closing any doors. What I cannot take is doing nothing."
A second potential change involves raising the luxury apartment threshold. Under state law, units priced at or above 245% of the federal fair market rate are exempt. In Syracuse, that currently translates to one-bedroom units renting for $2,751 per month or more. City lawmakers could raise that threshold as high as 345%.
Marion cautioned, however, that expanding the small landlord exemption could gut the law's effectiveness. "If you were to adjust the threshold, you would basically drive a truck through the point of this," he said.
As reported by CNY Central, some landlords are pushing for a different approach altogether — a stakeholder working group of landlords, tenant advocates, city staff, and neighborhood groups to craft a local housing stability plan. City landlord Rick Destito voiced support for the idea after the vote. "A real working group of landlords, tenant advocates, city staff, and neighborhood groups in the same room, building something practical that targets bad actors and protects everyone else," he said.
Good Cause supporters are also looking ahead to 2027, when seven council seats will be up for election. "The Common Council made their decision. In the future, the unions of the Greater Syracuse Labor Council will do the same," said Mark Spadafore, president of the Greater Syracuse Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
Nineteen municipalities across New York have adopted Good Cause Eviction, including Binghamton, Rochester, and Ithaca.