Just cause eviction

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Just cause eviction, also known as good cause eviction, describes laws that aim to provide tenants protection from unreasonable evictions, rent hikes, and non-renewal of lease agreements. These laws allow tenants to challenge evictions in court that are not for "legitimate" reasons.[1] Generally, landlords oppose just-cause eviction laws due to concerns over profit, housing stock,[2] and court cases.[3]

United States[edit]

New Jersey was the first state to pass a just-cause eviction law in 1974.[1] Interest in these laws has grown in recent years with California passing a just-cause eviction law in 2019[4] and Oregon passing a bill enumerating valid causes for evicting tenants the same year.[5] Washington passed a similar bill in 2021.[6]

The New York State legislature considered a similar bill in its 2023 legislative session. Senate Housing Chair Brian Kavanagh explained his belief that just-cause laws are "basically the notion that you can't be evicted if you're paying your rent and meet your obligations as a tenant. You can't be evicted for no good reason."[7]

Some cities also have similar ordinances for tenants.[3]

Federal programs[edit]

Good cause is also required for evicting a tenant in the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program,[8] although the definition of what constitutes a "good cause" has fluctuated over time[9][10] and can be defined by state and local governments.[11]

United Kingdom[edit]

In England and Wales, a Section 21 notice allows landlords to evict tenants with no cause.[12] The Renter's Reform Bill was proposed on May 17, 2023, to ban no-cause evictions.[13][14]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Cohen, Rachel M. (2023-05-01). "The fight to make it harder for landlords to evict their tenants". Vox. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  2. ^ "'Good Cause Eviction' bill is top focus as Albany zeros on housing crisis". www.ny1.com. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  3. ^ a b Kaysen, Ronda (2022-05-21). "What Is 'Good Cause Eviction,' and What Does It Mean for Renters?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  4. ^ "Bill Text - AB-1482 Tenant Protection Act of 2019: tenancy: rent caps". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  5. ^ "Senate Bill 608".
  6. ^ "RCW 59.18.650: Eviction of tenant, refusal to continue tenancy, end of periodic tenancy—Cause—Notice—Penalties". app.leg.wa.gov. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  7. ^ "Senate Housing Chair Brian Kavanagh On Budget Negotiations, The Future Of Good Cause | NYSenate.gov". www.nysenate.gov. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  8. ^ "26 U.S. Code § 42 - Low-income housing credit". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  9. ^ Jolin, Marc. "Good Cause Eviction and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit".
  10. ^ Jolin, Marc (2000). "Good Cause Eviction and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit". University of Chicago Law Review. 67: 521.
  11. ^ "An Advocate's Guide to Tenants' Rights in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program" (PDF).
  12. ^ "No-fault evictions to be banned in reform of rental sector". BBC News. 2023-05-16. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  13. ^ "Guide to the Renters (Reform) Bill". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  14. ^ "Warning more funding needed to enforce no-fault evictions ban". BBC News. 2023-06-27. Retrieved 2023-07-08.