Kathy Sheehan, the mayor of Albany, and Kamal Johnson, the mayor of Hudson have penned a new joint op-ed in the New York Daily News calling for the passage of “Good Cause” legislation to prevent evictions statewide.

Both Albany and Hudson already have “Good Cause” laws in place and have seen firsthand the positive impact on residents. Tenants living in unregulated units are now entitled to renew their leases, and landlords must demonstrate “good cause” in order to evict. Tenants are able to advocate for repairs without fear of retaliation and are protected against exorbitant rent hikes.

There are approximately 1.6 million unregulated households across the State, and as New Yorkers struggles to recover from a global pandemic these protections are essential to keep families in their homes and prevent a compounding crisis of homelessness.

“Amid this unprecedented public health crisis, keeping New Yorkers in their homes is vital to lessening the devastation caused by COVID-19. We must take action to protect all tenants — including those most impacted by economic, health care and housing disparities — from unfair evictions and homelessness,” the Mayors write in part. “Good Cause legislation does just that.”

Read the full piece here.