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Renting / Good Cause Eviction

Does Good Cause Eviction cover your apartment?

Since 20 April 2024, New York's Good Cause Eviction law protects many New York City tenants in market-rate apartments: landlords need a reason to evict or not renew, and large rent rises are presumed unreasonable. Answer a few questions to see whether it likely covers you, and how far your rent can rise this year.

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Where is the apartment?
Is the apartment rent-stabilised, rent-controlled, NYCHA, project-based Section 8, or an income-restricted (for example Housing Connect) home?Those have their own protections and aren't covered.
Is it in a co-op or condo building?Including a building with an offering plan filed with the Attorney General.
Did the building get its first certificate of occupancy on or after 1 January 2009?Newer buildings are exempt for 30 years from that date.
Does your landlord (or any one of the people who own it) own more than 10 apartments or homes in New York State?Landlords with 10 or fewer, counted per owner, are exempt.
Does the owner live in your building, and does the building have 10 or fewer apartments?Answer yes only if both are true.
Is it any of these: a sublet from a tenant who wants it back, housing that comes with a job you've left, a seasonal rental, a hotel room, a dorm, a home in a religious facility, a senior or care facility, or a manufactured home?These are exempt too.
How many bedrooms?

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What Good Cause Eviction means

A reason to evict or not renew. If the law covers you, your landlord generally needs one of its reasons to end your tenancy or refuse a renewal: for example not paying rent (unless it's because of an unreasonable increase), breaking a substantial term of the lease, causing a nuisance, illegal use, refusing reasonable access, the owner or a family member moving in (not allowed if you're 65 or older or disabled), demolition or taking the unit off the market, or refusing reasonable lease changes offered 30 to 90 days before the lease ends NY Real Property Law §216: grounds for removal · checked 21 Oct 2026 NYC HPD: Good Cause Eviction · checked 21 Oct 2026.

The local rent standard. An increase in a calendar year above the local rent standard is presumed unreasonable. The standard is 5% plus the year's change in the regional consumer price index, but never more than 10% NY Real Property Law §211: definitions · checked 21 Oct 2026. For New York City that's 8.38% as of 4 May 2026, from inflation of 3.38% NYS HCR: Good Cause Eviction notice, as of 4 May 2026 · checked 21 Oct 2026. The landlord can try to justify more, for example with rising property taxes or significant repairs to a building system, but not cosmetic work, and a court decides NY Real Property Law §216: grounds for removal · checked 21 Oct 2026.

The high-rent limit. Apartments rented for more than 245% of HUD's fair market rent aren't covered. In every New York City borough, as of 4 May 2026: studio $6,196, one bedroom $6,505, two bedrooms $7,130, three bedrooms $8,928, four bedrooms $9,700 a month NYS HCR: Good Cause Eviction notice, as of 4 May 2026 · checked 21 Oct 2026. The full list of exemptions, including small landlords, co-ops and condos, newer buildings and rent-regulated homes, is in the law NY Real Property Law §214: exemptions · checked 21 Oct 2026.

The notice. Landlords must say whether the law covers your apartment, and if not why, in a notice attached to new leases, renewals, termination notices, rent demands and eviction papers NY Real Property Law §231-c: Good Cause notice · checked 21 Oct 2026. If you're facing eviction, call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline for free help and legal referrals NYC HPD: Good Cause Eviction · checked 21 Oct 2026.

Rent-stabilised? Different rules apply: see rent-stabilised apartments. Weighing a renewal offer? Renew or move.