← Back to the libraryCivic win · Tenant powerNew York · 2024
NY Good Cause Eviction
Housing Justice for All — a coalition of 25+ orgs — spent five years organizing tenants across New York, including protests and arrests at the Capitol, before New York finally passed the Good Cause Eviction Law in April 2024. The law immediately blocked landlords from evicting tenants without cause and capped rent hikes at 10% or inflation plus 5%, whichever is lower. Within a year, 17 municipalities across the state had opted in, expanding coverage to roughly 1 million renters statewide.
The playbook- Build a named coalition with a simple, hard-to-oppose ask. "Good cause" framing makes opponents look bad just by opposing it.
- Win locally first. Albany, Newburgh, and others passed their own laws before the state moved, proving the model and building organizing muscle.
- Use direct action with intention. Protests and Capitol arrests weren't noise — they forced legislators to respond publicly.
- Design an opt-in expansion mechanism so the state win becomes a launchpad for local campaigns.
- Collect and publish tenant stories throughout. Real cases make stakes concrete and keep media coverage alive.
Planted by Revel Creator JZ · featured May 21, 2026