White Plains council amends proposed ‘good cause’ eviction law, sets small-landlord exemption at four units

The White Plains Common Council voted on May 5 to amend proposed local law 2 of 2025, known as the city's "good cause" eviction law, changing the small-landlord exemption to four units.

The amendment, offered by Councilman John Martin, revises the draft definition so that a landlord of up to four units anywhere in New York State would be treated as a small landlord for purposes of the ordinance. The amendment passed on a 5-2 roll call: Rash, Martin, Payne, Presser and Mayor Roach voted yes; Frye Pearson and Puja voted no.

The measure would add chapter 9-8 to the White Plains Municipal Code to prohibit eviction without good cause; the council opened and then closed a public hearing on the draft ordinance before debating the amendment. Under the municipal home rule law, city counsel advised the council that because the text was amended, they must wait at least eight days before taking a final vote on the amended local law.

Why it matters: advocates said a strong good-cause law would reduce evictions and housing instability, while landlords and property…