Rochester City Council recently voted against good cause eviction legislation. The City of Albany was the first in the state to pass such legislation, which lists ten reasons that landlords can evict a tenant. Supporters say the law guards against venal landlords who mistreat tenants. In Albany, three landlords have sued, saying that cities don't have the right to make such legal changes -- only the state does. In Rochester, City Council Member Mitch Gruber has argued that it would be a bad idea to pass a similar law until the Albany lawsuit is settled; Gruber says Rochester would also go to court and potentially spend thousands of dollars.
Supporters of a Rochester law say that every city getting on board puts upward pressure on the state to act. So what is the "good cause" landscape, and where might it go next? Our guests include:
- Matthew Drouin, broker and president of ROC Real Capital, and partner at OakGrove Development
- Mary Lupien, vice president of Rochester City Council
