The Legal Aid Society and others in the Housing Justice For All coalition called on New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to enact ‘Good Cause’ legislation immediately next session, reports AM New York. Earlier this month, California passed similar legislation to address the state’s sprawling homelessness crisis.

Good Cause legislation (S2892A/A5030A) – sponsored by Senator Julia Salazar and Assembly Member Pamela Hunter, respectively – would prohibit the eviction of residential tenants or the non-renewal of residential leases without legitimate and proper cause. Thousands of New Yorkers across the state in unregulated apartments currently have minimal protections to defend against unjust evictions.

“This [good cause] is the thing that we were most disappointed that we didn’t achieve in the last session. With California moving forward it seems like and Oregon having done it last year, it really seems like the time is now to not leave New York behind,” said Judith Goldiner, Attorney-In-Charge of the Civil Law Reform Unit at The Legal Aid Society.