New York’s Good Cause Eviction Law gives many renters more protection from eviction and large rent increases. The law took effect in 2024 and applies automatically in New York City. Other cities, towns, and villages can choose to adopt it.
The rules can affect what happens when a lease ends, rent goes up, or a landlord wants a tenant to leave. A New York City eviction lawyer can help explain whether a rental home is covered and what rules apply.
What Is the Good Cause Eviction Law?
Before the Good Cause Eviction Law, a landlord could often choose not to renew a market-rate lease after it ended. For many covered homes, landlords now need a legally accepted reason, called good cause, to evict a tenant or end the tenancy. A landlord may still be able to remove a tenant for reasons such as:
- Not paying rent
- Breaking an important lease rule
- Damaging the property
- Creating an ongoing nuisance
- Using the property for illegal activity
- Unreasonably refusing access for repairs
- Refusing reasonable changes to a new lease
- The landlord or certain family members planning to move into the home
Other good-cause reasons may also apply, including plans to demolish the home or remove it from the rental market.
Limits on Rent Increases
The law does not ban rent increases. Instead, it gives covered tenants a way to challenge increases that may be unreasonable. The yearly rent standard is based on inflation. It is generally 5% plus the local inflation rate, or 10%, whichever is lower.
As of May 2026, the inflation rate used for New York City is 3.38%. This makes the current local rent standard 8.38%. A court may find a rent increase above that amount unreasonable.
An increase above 8.38% is not automatically illegal. A judge can consider the landlord’s reasons, including major repair costs or higher property taxes.
Apartments That Are Not Covered
Good Cause Eviction does not apply to every rental home. Common New York City exemptions include:
- Homes owned by a landlord who owns 10 or fewer units statewide
- Owner-occupied buildings with 10 or fewer units
- Rent-stabilized or rent-controlled homes
- Condos and co-ops
- Certain public or government-regulated housing
- Certain dorms, hotels, senior housing, and employee housing
- Homes with rent above the law’s high-rent limit
Newer buildings are also exempt for a set period. A home with a temporary or permanent certificate of occupancy issued on or after January 1, 2009, is generally exempt for 30 years after that certificate was issued.
Landlords Must Give Written Notices
Landlords must give tenants written information explaining whether Good Cause Eviction applies to the home. This notice is required in several situations, including when offering or renewing a lease, ending a tenancy, raising rent by more than 5%, or sending certain rent demands. If the home is exempt, the notice must explain why.
A special rule also applies to small landlords. If a landlord files an eviction case and claims the small-landlord exemption, the landlord generally must give the tenant information about the other New York rental units owned by the people who own or control the property.
The Good Cause Eviction Law has changed some of the basic rules for market-rate rentals in New York. Whether the law applies depends on the home, the landlord’s property holdings, the rent, and the reason for ending the tenancy.