Syracuse city leaders are continuing to try and address the city’s housing crisis. Common Councilors are set to consider implementing Good Cause Eviction legislation.
Syracuse Common Councilors will start to consider the city’s option to adopt Good Cause Eviction laws. The state-sponsored legislation is meant to protect tenants from price gouging and provide some eviction protections. Councilor Jimmy Monto, who helped sponsor the program's introduction, said it's time to start thinking creatively to solve the city’s housing issues.
“We’ve got to take a holistic approach at it,” Monto said. “I don’t think anything happens in a vacuum so when we look at a housing strategy, inside that strategy has to be taking care of the tenants.”
Monto is in favor of adopting some form of Good Cause legislation and hopes community discussion can help highlight what areas need attention.
“The hope is that we talk it out, take a look at what the law would do for Syracuse,” Monto said. “It’s state legislation that we can opt into. We are allowed to make some changes, we have to talk about what those changes could look like and the impact it would have on the city.”
Council Pat Hogan isn’t so sure. His concern is that it may prevent an increase in housing capacity.
“I’m not sure it will increase our housing capacity one bit, I think it’s something that’s more suited for downstate,” Hogan said. “I think it will adversely affect some people who are already small-time landlords who already own housing in the city.”
Hogan said he believes an increase in housing capacity will help resolve some of the tenant and housing issues in the city.
The Good Cause legislation discussions come as the council looks to authorize a new housing strategy in their next session on Aug. 12.
