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The Village of Croton-on-Hudson's "Good Cause Eviction" law went into effect on Friday, Feb. 7 after being adopted by the Board of Trustees at their meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 8.
The Good Cause Eviction law prohibits landlords covered under its provisions from evicting tenants or refusing lease renewals without a valid reason, such as non-payment of rent, lease violations, property damage, or illegal activity. It also sets limits on rent increases, typically capping annual increases at the lower of 10% or 5% plus the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate. For example, in 2024, with a CPI of 3.3%, rent increases were capped at 8.3%.
Exceptions to the law include affordable housing, rent-stabilized and rent-controlled apartments, newly constructed buildings (for a limited period), co-ops, condos, sublets, and small owner-occupied properties.
Mayor Brian Pugh highlighted the law’s intent to protect tenants while maintaining fairness for landlords.
"The enactment of Good Cause law protects responsible tenants by giving them the security to stay in their homes. It balances the needs of tenants with the rights of property owners, ensuring that landlords and tenants who are acting in good faith are protected," Pugh said.
Local advocate and Croton-on-Hudson resident Theo Oshiro, Co-Executive Director of Make the Road NY, emphasized the law’s impact on housing stability.
"Housing is a human right. The Good Cause Eviction law helps provide individuals and families with the stability they deserve," Oshiro said, continuing, "This law will protect tenants from price gouging or retaliatory eviction for making a complaint. We all have a right to safe housing."
Croton-on-Hudson joins other municipalities in New York that have opted into Good Cause Eviction protections, including the cities of New York City, Albany, Beacon, Kingston, and Poughkeepsie, as well as the villages of Nyack and New Paltz.
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