Hudson Common Council Adopts Good Cause Eviction!
HUDSON, N.Y. – On Tuesday, following extensive organizing by a coalition of grassroots organizations including For the Many, the Hudson Common Council voted to adopt Good Cause Eviction at the local level, with 7 in favor, 1 opposed, and 3 recusals (under the Council’s rules, recusals count as “no” votes). Tenants, homeowners, and advocates spoke in favor of Good Cause Eviction at the hearing, citing the fast pace of gentrification in Hudson and rising rents and evictions—which Good Cause would give tenants recourse against—as causes of the city’s unprecedented housing crisis.
For months, For the Many has worked in coalition with the Hudson/Catskill Housing Coalition, Columbia County Sanctuary Movement, and Kite’s Nest to combat heavy spending by landlords who oppose Good Cause Eviction and pass a strong version of the law that will protect as many Hudson tenants from displacement as possible. Hudson’s newly adopted law is the gold standard for Good Cause and includes a portfolio size exemption of 1 and a high rent exemption at 345% of Fair Market Rent, which will give an estimated thousands tenants protection from unreasonable rent hikes and evictions.
“Over the past few years, the City of Hudson has experienced some of the fastest rising rents and highest rates of displacement in the Hudson Valley, harming this community and the people who have built it,” said Brahvan Ranga, Political Director at For the Many. “Passing Good Cause Eviction is one of the most important steps the Hudson Common Council could have taken to address the housing crisis and meet the needs of their constituents. We commend the Council Members who listened to the people of Hudson and voted in favor of their interests instead of siding with greedy landlords and out-of-town developers who care only about their own bottom line. Hudson residents fought hard for this victory and the many protections it will provide.”
“Over the course of our organizational history, we have seen extreme gentrification and increases in housing costs in Hudson, and we have received several reports from members of being intimidated into leaving their homes by landlords threatening to call ICE on them,” said Iridian Lucas Garcia, Campaign Coordinator at Columbia County Sanctuary Movement (CCSM). “CCSM has provided tens of thousands of dollars in rental assistance to our members through our mutual aid programs. The need to strengthen tenants’ rights here has been abundantly clear. This victory for Good Cause Eviction in the Hudson Common Council is a historic one that moves our community in a direction that leads to more stability and security for tenants, as well as more consideration for their needs and their dignity.”
“I decided to sponsor Hudson’s Good Cause Eviction law because I have seen the enormous toll that the lack of housing and high eviction rates have taken on my beloved city, and I believe the people of Hudson deserve more,” said Hudson Common Council Member Lola Roberts. “Our community is one that can persevere through anything, but that doesn’t mean we should have to—especially when there are common sense solutions to one of the biggest problems we face, housing. Responding to our community’s needs will always be top priority for the Common Council, and I’m glad my fellow council members have demonstrated that by opting into Good Cause Eviction.”
“Despite a massive disinformation campaign by the real estate industry, Hudson tenants persevered to win the protections they deserve,” said Cea Weaver, Executive Director of Housing Justice for All. “Real estate may have deep pockets, but today Hudson’s leaders stood by their constituents to make the city fairer and more stable for everyone. Upstate tenants won’t be intimidated by scare tactics — we’ll keep uniting to ensure every tenant can live without fear of rent hikes or unfair evictions.”
The City of Hudson is the seventh upstate city to adopt Good Cause Eviction, following the cities of Albany, Beacon, Ithaca, Kingston, Newburgh, and Poughkeepsie. The villages of New Paltz and Nyack also recently opted into the law, which the state gave municipalities authorization to do in April of this year. Despite upstate municipalities’ rapid adoption of Good Cause and city residents’ tenacious advocacy for the law, Hudson landlords mounted a costly digital ad campaign against the measure and spent heavily to make the city’s Good Cause campaign one of the most contentious local opt-ins yet. Two council members, both landlords, opted to recuse themselves from the Good Cause vote, citing conflicts of interest. Hudson residents, meanwhile, showed up in force at Common Council meetings over the past several months to share their stories of displacement and demand Good Cause’s adoption.
In addition to playing a leading role in organizing for Good Cause in Hudson, For the Many is also running Good Cause campaigns in the City of Middletown and Town of Poughkeepsie, both part of the organization’s Renters Rising campaign to expand tenant protections across the Mid-Hudson Valley. The campaign is focused on passing Good Cause Eviction in as many municipalities as possible, expanding and defending rent stabilization, and providing resources for tenants to know their rights and access legal support. In order to educate tenants on their rights, connect them with legal services, and offer them guidance in their dealings with landlords, For the Many has launched a housing resource website and tenant hotline. Tenants can visit housingforthemany.org or call (845) 481-0882 to be connected with these resources.
