Last Halloween I went to my buddy's party dressed as Dr. Who—specifically, the new one, Ncuti Gatwa. Fantastic choice. But about 45 minutes into the party, some drunk guy called me out: "Hey man, that's obviously a David Tennant costume. The sonic screwdriver totally gives it away." Okay, two things: First, the sonic is a prop, not a costume. Second, if you're gonna be wrong about Who canon, at least be confident.

Anyway, that interaction reminded me of something that happens all the time in my line of work: people who confidently believe they understand the law—until the law transforms right in front of them.

Which brings me to Good Cause Eviction—the law that transformed New York tenants from "disposable renters" into "protected residents."

The Transformation

For decades, market-rate tenants in NYC lived under a simple but brutal reality: when your lease ended, your landlord could refuse to renew for any reason—or no reason at all. You could be a perfect tenant, never late on rent, and still get shown the door because your landlord wanted to rent to someone else, or just didn't like you.

On April 20, 2024, the Good Cause Eviction law changed that. It went into effect as part of the state budget under Real Property Law § 226-c.

What the Law Actually Does

Good Cause Eviction gives covered tenants three major protections:

🛡️ 1. Right to Lease Renewal

Your landlord can't refuse to renew your lease without a legally recognized "good cause." Being a market-rate tenant no longer means being disposable.

💰 2. Rent Increase Limits

If your landlord proposes a rent increase above a certain threshold (roughly 5% + CPI), you can challenge it as "unreasonable." The burden shifts to them to justify the hike.

⚖️ 3. Eviction Only for "Good Cause"

Landlords must prove a valid legal reason to evict you. No more "just because" evictions.

What Counts as "Good Cause"?

The law defines specific valid reasons a landlord can evict a covered tenant:

  • Non-payment of rent — You didn't pay the rent you owed
  • Violation of lease terms — You substantially violated the lease (after receiving notice to cure)
  • Illegal use — You're using the apartment for illegal purposes
  • Refusal of access — You're unreasonably refusing access for repairs
  • Nuisance — You're causing a nuisance that substantially interferes with others
  • Owner occupancy — The landlord or immediate family member intends to occupy the unit in good faith
  • Demolition or major renovation — The landlord has permits to demolish or perform work that makes the unit uninhabitable

Notice what's not on the list: "I found someone willing to pay more" or "I just don't want to renew."

Are You Covered?

Not every tenant is protected by Good Cause Eviction. Here's the quick test:

🎯 Good Cause Coverage Questionnaire

  • Does your landlord own more than 10 residential units in New York State? If yes, continue. If no, you might be exempt (see Small Landlord Exemption).
  • Was your building built before 2009? If yes, continue. If built 2009 or later, check if it receives certain tax exemptions (421-a, J-51).
  • Is your rent below 245% of fair market rent? In NYC, that's roughly $5,846/month for a one-bedroom in most neighborhoods. If your rent is above that threshold, you're likely not covered.
  • Are you already rent-stabilized or rent-controlled? If yes, you already have stronger protections—GCE doesn't apply because you don't need it.

(FMR thresholds updated annually; verify current amounts at HUD.gov)

If you checked all the boxes above (except the last one), congratulations—you're probably covered by Good Cause Eviction.

The Halloween Lesson

Remember that guy at the party who confidently told me my Dr. Who costume was wrong? He was operating on outdated information. He knew enough to recognize a sonic screwdriver but not enough to know the show had regenerated.

The same thing happens with housing law. Landlords—and even some tenants—are still operating on pre-2024 assumptions. They think market-rate means "no protections." They think lease expiration means "time to go." They think they can refuse renewal for any reason.

They're wrong. The law regenerated. And like the Doctor, it got more powerful.

⚠️ Don't Let Outdated Information Cost You Your Home

If your landlord is refusing to renew your lease or claiming you have no rights because you're not rent-stabilized, they might be operating on old assumptions. The law changed. Make sure they know it.

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