Upstate New York Towns Build on State ‘Good Cause Eviction’ Law With Added Protections

By adjusting rent thresholds and shrinking landlord exemptions, more than a dozen municipalities have adopted stronger versions of a state law that protects tenants from high rent increases and unreasonable evictions.

1 minute read

February 13, 2026, 5:00 AM PST

By Shelterforce


Aerial of downtown Albany, New York.

Sandra Foyt / Shutterstock

More than a dozen upstate New York municipalities are strengthening tenant protections by opting into—and improving—the state’s Good Cause Eviction Law. By lowering rent thresholds and narrowing landlord exemptions, cities like Albany and Newburgh are expanding protections against unreasonable rent hikes and unjust evictions.

This Shelterforce article examines how local organizers pushed for stronger versions of the law, how public education has become essential to enforcement, and why advocates say good cause is an important step—but not a substitute for rent stabilization. The piece highlights the growing role of municipal action in shaping tenant protections beyond New York City.

Thursday, January 29, 2026 in Shelterforce Magazine

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