Res. No. 328
Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, A.4454/S.305, in relation to prohibiting eviction without good cause.
By Council Members Nurse, Brewer, Avilés, Hudson, Won, Krishnan, Cabán, Marte, Rivera, De La Rosa, Gutiérrez, Sanchez, Restler, Ossé, Hanif, Farías, Joseph, Banks, Abreu, Stevens, Salaam and Bottcher (in conjunction with the Brooklyn Borough President)
Whereas, On February 8, 2024, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), along with the U.S. Census Bureau, released selected initial findings from the 2023 New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey (2023 HVS), which reported that the net rental vacancy rate was 1.41 percent in New York City (NYC or the City) in 2023, the lowest since the 1968 HVS; and
Whereas, The 2023 HVS reported that 2 out of 3 NYC households rented their homes in 2023, nearly 2 million NYC households; and
Whereas, A household is moderately rent burdened if more than 30 percent and less than 50 percent of household income is paid towards rent, and severely rent burdened if more than 50 percent of household income is paid towards rent; and
Whereas, According to the 2023 HVS, of NYC households earning $50,000 to $99,999 annually, 33 percent were moderately rent burdened and 10 percent were severely rent burdened; of households earning $25,000 to $49,999 annually, 36 percent were moderately rent burdened and 45 percent were severely rent burdened; and of households earning less than $25,000 annually, 4 percent were moderately rent burdened and 86 percent were severely rent burdened; and
Whereas, According to data from the New York State (NYS or the State) Unified Court System, there has been a rapid rise in eviction filings since the expiration of COVID-related statewide eviction protections on January 15, 2022, with the number of total yearly eviction filings increasing from 69,346 in 2021 to 214,468 in 2023; and
Whereas, A report from the NYC Office of Civil Justice showed that 84 percent of tenants that had representation were able to stay in their homes; and
Whereas, However, since January 2022, the proportion of tenants having representation in housing court fell dramatically due to the sharp increase in eviction filings outpacing capacity among legal service providers, with the City Comptroller finding that, as of February 2023, 73 percent of tenants facing eviction did not have legal representation; and
Whereas, On February 28, 2022, tenant advocacy and policy organizations Housing Justice for All, the Community Service Society of New York (CSS), New York University’s Urban Democracy Lab, and the Pratt Center for Community Development released a joint report detailing how minority households, specifically Black households, were 3 times as likely to face eviction as white households across the state, while Black tenants in NYC were twice as likely as white tenants to have zero dollars in savings; and
Whereas, The Gothamist reported that since January 2022, completed residential evictions were concentrated in central Brooklyn, the central and South Bronx, and northern Staten Island, areas more likely to have Black or Latino residents as well as low-income residents; and
Whereas, A January 2022 analysis from the Pratt Center and CSS found that legislation preventing evictions without good cause (Good Cause Eviction legislation) could protect 1.6 million households and nearly 50 percent of tenants statewide, while the New York Civil Liberties Union cited Good Cause Eviction legislation as an important measure in contributing to housing stability, an important factor in health, education, employment, and childhood well-being; and
Whereas, A May 2022 Data for Progress poll showed that more than 2 in 3 likely voters in the State supported Good Cause Eviction legislation; and
Whereas, A.4454, sponsored by Assembly Member Pamela Hunter and pending in the State Assembly Housing Committee, and companion bill S.305, sponsored by State Senator Julia Salazar and pending in the New York State Senate, would prohibit landlords from taking any action to evict, to fail to renew a lease, or to remove a tenant from a housing accommodation unless it was done for good cause; and
Whereas, CSS found that the legislation would also newly cover about 784,000 renter households in NYC, including tenants living in buildings built after 1974, buildings that have been deregulated, and smaller buildings; and
Whereas, This legislation is widely supported by New Yorkers and would help ameliorate the housing crisis by protecting millions of renter households in the City and the State from evictions without good cause; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, A.4454/S.305, in relation to prohibiting eviction without good cause.
Session 13
CCK
LS #9916, 10911
03/15/2024
Session 12
CCK
LS # 9916, 10911
10/31/2022