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Hudson Valley Justice Center urges Middletown to opt into New York good-cause eviction law
Summary
Attorneys from the Hudson Valley Justice Center urged the Middletown Common Council to opt into New York’s good-cause eviction law and to adopt a narrow definition of 'small landlord' that would close an LLC ownership loophole.
Ben Surface, supervising attorney for the Hudson Valley Justice Center, urged the Middletown Common Council to move forward with adopting a local law to opt the city into New York State’s good-cause eviction statute and to draft the strongest version possible.
Surface and his colleague Ally Dodinger said opting in would protect tenants from no‑cause holdovers and other evictions unrelated to lease violations or nonpayment. They recommended that Middletown define “small landlord” so it does not exclude owners who use single‑unit LLCs to avoid coverage.
Why it matters: Hudson Valley Justice Center attorneys said they regularly represent tenants in Middletown City Court and in surrounding counties and that tenants face evictions for non‑substantive reasons. They argued local adoption of the law would offer “a mild level of regulation” to prevent unjustified evictions and to limit sudden rent increases precipitated by lease terminations.
Examples offered: Dodinger described cases where tenants faced dangerous repair conditions or prolonged loss of heat and hot water; she said a tenant in a three‑unit building with a good‑cause law on the books had legal protection while tenants in other jurisdictions did not.
City response: Council members and the mayor said the administration has been gathering data, reviewing LLC ownership and small‑landlord definitions, and coordinating with outside organizations. One council member said the city was “ahead of the curve” and was disaggregating eviction filings to determine how many were for nonpayment versus other causes.
Next steps: Both sides said they would continue to work together. Ben Surface said he looked forward to working with the council to draft a strong local law. The council did not vote on a local adoption Tuesday but indicated continued review.
