Conversations over adopting Good Cause Eviction legislation in Syracuse continue as the council begins what they say will be a long line of discussion.
A joint committee meeting held by members of the Syracuse Common Council saw an almost full council chamber as tenant’s rights groups and Syracuse landlords filed in to hear the council’s discussions on Good Cause legislation.
Councilor Jimmy Monto, who co-sponsors the legislation said the most recent committee meeting is just the beginning. He said he hopes to learn more about the impact Good Cause could have on the community.
“I’m keeping an open mind,” Monto said.
Councilor Pat Hogan remains skeptical of adopting the legislation.
“If Albany and Ithaca are doing it right now, why wouldn’t we, if we’re being judicious, why wouldn’t we wait to see how it works out there?” Hogan said.
Hogan said he’s concerned new housing investments would be hurt if the legislation is passed.
Sally Santangelo, executive director of CNY Fair Housing, disagrees. She was invited to the committee meeting to shed light on what Good Cause laws could mean for tenants and landlords in the city. Santangelo said it’s about tenants' rights more than anything else and doesn’t think there will be a big impact on future housing developments.
“Good Cause just allows good tenants to remain good tenants,” Santangelo said. “It allows those good tenants to remain in their home. Whereas right now they have no right to remain in their home and they can be frankly removed for any reason or for really no reason whatsoever. So this would just require a landlord for not keeping a tenant, they would have to have an actual legitimate reason for not keeping a tenant housed in their apartment.”
But some concerned landlords say passing Good Cause will hurt more than help. David Lochaw, of Phoenix, NY, owns about a dozen properties in Syracuse, he said while Good Cause laws could help stop “bad landlords” he thinks it will hurt more of the good ones than it’s worth.
“I think these laws are too broad, and don’t focus on where the problem is,” Lochaw said. “We have bad landlords, we have bad landlords. There’s ten times as many bad tenants as there is bad landlords.”
Syracuse councilors voted to hold Good Cause Legislation again this week, to allow for more community discussion.
