Binghamton town hall on good-cause eviction draws sharp divisions between tenant advocates and landlords

The Binghamton City Planning Committee hosted a town hall on good-cause eviction that drew more than three hours of public comment and sharply divided perspectives from tenant advocates, legal aid attorneys and landlords.

Council member Nate Hotchkiss, who introduced the local opt-in legislation, opened the presentation by summarizing the state law and the local choices the city must make. "Good cause eviction is a tenant protection," Hotchkiss said. "Just this past April 2024, it passed through the state, and it requires a local opt in for each municipality." He described three central features he said are in the opt-in: protections against unjustified or retaliatory evictions, a right to renew a lease at a reasonable rent and a cap on rent increases (a formula of 10% or 5% plus CPI, which he said currently translates to about 8.45%).

Hotchkiss also outlined exemptions in the state framework and local options. Under the state template, a "small landlord" is commonly defined as one owning 10 or fewer units;…