Joined by NYS Tenants Bloc and Make the Road Action, Lander Proposes Mayoral “Know Your Rights” Tenants Campaign on One Year Anniversary of Good Cause Eviction
Following the endorsement of NYS Tenant Bloc, Lander today highlighted a public information campaign he’d elevate as Mayor to ensure tenants know about new “Good Cause Eviction” protections against rent hikes and arbitrary evictions
View the press conference photos
NEW YORK, NY — Following the mayoral endorsement of the New York State Tenant Bloc, Brad Lander today stood with Make the Road Action – who has endorsed Lander #1 for mayor – and tenants to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the passage of Good Cause Eviction. Tenants fought for this law for years, despite ongoing opposition from former Governor Andrew Cuomo who sided with real estate donors over working class New Yorkers and tenants.
“New York City tenants can only assert their rights and fight back against illegal, unlawful breaches if they know they have them and how best to utilize them,” said Brad Lander. “When I’m Mayor, we’ll end the Adams’ administration’s assault on tenants and ensure every New Yorker knows exactly how to fight back against arbitrary evictions and skyrocketing rent hikes.”
After six years of organizing, the tenant movement successfully passed legislation in April 2024 to provide unregulated market-rate tenants with protections against drastic rent hikes and lease non-renewals. However, these new rights will only protect tenants if New Yorkers know about them. Lander highlighted that Mayor Adams has failed to do the public engagement necessary to ensure that tenants know about these new protections.
“Good Cause Eviction is a hard fought victory for millions of renters in New York City. But its success has been undermined by an administration that consistently fails to do basic public education or fund the right to counsel. We're proud to endorse Brad Lander for Mayor because we know he is committed to ensuring all tenants in New York know their rights, and have the tools to enforce them,” said Cea Weaver, director of NYS Tenant Bloc.
“Brad Lander has always put tenants #1 throughout his career in public service – from being in the City Council to now as Comptroller, which is why we’re ranking him #1!” said Felipe Idrovo, Make the Road Action member.
In the absence of action from the City, Lander highlighted his plan for a public information campaign about new Good Cause Eviction protections he’d champion at the highest level as Mayor, including four key elements:
Creating a large-scale marketing campaign on the New York City subway in multiple languages, advertise on LinkNYC, and other public spaces;
Developing shareable “Know Your Rights” materials to be distributed by local elected officials and be available in community spaces;
Working in partnership with organizations like JustFix who recently launched the website GoodCauseNYC.org to help tenants know if these new rights apply to them;
Funding community organizing groups to know on doors and conduct outreach to tenants about their new rights.
Good Cause Eviction provides hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers in market-rate apartments with new stability in their homes.
###