Just cause eviction
{{Short description|Laws protecting against unreasonable evictions}}
{{Living spaces}}
Just cause eviction, also known as good cause eviction and for 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.{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=Rachel M. |date=2023-05-01 |title=The fight to make it harder for landlords to evict their tenants |url=https://www.vox.com/policy/2023/5/1/23697209/landlords-tenants-good-cause-just-cause-eviction-housing |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=Vox |language=en}} Generally, landlords oppose just-cause eviction laws due to concerns over profit, housing stock,{{Cite web |title='Good Cause Eviction' bill is top focus as Albany zeros on housing crisis |url=https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2023/02/06/good-cause-eviction-bill-pits-progressives-against-real-estate-lobby |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=www.ny1.com |language=en}} and court cases.{{Cite news |last=Kaysen |first=Ronda |date=2022-05-21 |title=What Is ‘Good Cause Eviction,’ and What Does It Mean for Renters? |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/21/realestate/good-cause-eviction-renters-new-york.html |access-date=2023-07-08 |issn=0362-4331}} The opposite of just cause eviction is no fault eviction.
United States
File:(03-22-23) NYS Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris (52764192982).jpg advocating for Good Cause Eviction Law in Albany, New York, 2023]]
= Federal programs =
Good cause is required for evicting a tenant in the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program,{{Cite web |title=26 U.S. Code § 42 - Low-income housing credit |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/42 |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=LII / Legal Information Institute |language=en}} although the definition of what constitutes a "good cause" has fluctuated over time{{Cite web |last=Jolin |first=Marc |title=Good Cause Eviction and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit |url=https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5064&context=uclrev}}{{Cite journal |last=Jolin |first=Marc |date=2000 |title=Good Cause Eviction and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit |url=https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/uclr67&id=527&div=&collection= |journal=University of Chicago Law Review |volume=67 |pages=521}} and can be defined by state and local governments.{{Cite web |title=An Advocate's Guide to Tenants' Rights in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program |url=https://www.nhlp.org/wp-content/uploads/LIHTC-2021.pdf}}
= State programs =
New Jersey passed the Anti-Eviction Act of 1974, becoming the first state to enact a just cause eviction law.
California passed the Tenant Protection Act of 2019 to remedy the state's housing shortage, leading to renewed interest in utilizing just cause eviction laws to counteract the national housing crisis.{{Cite web |title=Bill Text - AB-1482 Tenant Protection Act of 2019: tenancy: rent caps. |url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB1482 |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=leginfo.legislature.ca.gov}}
New Hampshire passed a bill enumerating valid causes for evicting tenants in 2015,{{cite web | last=Dewey | first=Caitlin | title=Some states to landlords: You can’t evict tenants without a good reason • Pennsylvania Capital-Star | website=Pennsylvania Capital-Star | date=July 5, 2023 | url=https://penncapital-star.com/government-politics/some-states-to-landlords-you-cant-evict-tenants-without-a-good-reason/ | access-date=February 22, 2025}} with similar bills passed by Oregon in 2019,{{Cite web |title=Senate Bill 608 |url=https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2019R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB608/Enrolled}} Washington in 2021,{{Cite web |title=RCW 59.18.650: Eviction of tenant, refusal to continue tenancy, end of periodic tenancy—Cause—Notice—Penalties. |url=https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.650 |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=app.leg.wa.gov}} and Colorado in 2024.{{cite web | last=Salmonsen | first=Mary | title=Colorado’s for-cause eviction bill signed into law | website=Multifamily Dive | date=May 1, 2024 | url=https://www.multifamilydive.com/news/colorado-for-cause-eviction-bill-signed/714839/ | access-date=February 22, 2025}}
New York passed the Good Cause Eviction Law of 2024 as part of their annual state budget.{{cite web | title=New York State's Good Cause Eviction Law | website=NYSAR | date=January 21, 2025 | url=https://www.nysar.com/advocacy/new-york-states-good-cause-eviction-law/ | access-date=February 22, 2025}} It took immediate effect in New York City, with the ability for other cities and municipalities within the state to opt-in. Municipalities that have since opted-in include Albany, Beacon, Binghamton, Catskill, Croton-on-Hudson, Fishkill, Hudson, Ithaca, Kingston, Middletown, Newburgh, New Paltz, Nyack, Poughkeepsie (city), Poughkeepsie (town), and Rochester.{{cite web | title=After weeks of debate, City Council unanimously passes Good Cause Eviction law | website=Pipe Dream | date=February 13, 2025 | url=https://www.bupipedream.com/news/after-weeks-of-debate-city-council-unanimously-passes-good-cause-eviction-law/161628/ | access-date=February 22, 2025}}
Just cause eviction legislation is pending in Connecticut,{{cite web | last=Putterman | first=Alex | title=Should a landlord be allowed to evict you for no reason? CT lawmakers debate 'just cause' bill | website=CT Insider | date=February 18, 2025 | url=https://www.ctinsider.com/politics/article/ct-just-cause-eviction-landlords-tenants-lawmakers-20173041.php | access-date=February 22, 2025}} Maryland{{cite web | last=Brown | first=Danielle J. | title=Renters hope 'good cause eviction' bill will overcome Senate committee hurdle | website=Maryland Matters | date=February 19, 2025 | url=https://marylandmatters.org/2025/02/19/renters-hope-good-cause-eviction-bill-will-overcome-senate-committee-hurdle/ | access-date=February 22, 2025}} and Rhode Island.{{cite web | last=Boardman | first=Christopher | title=Lawmakers to rally for Rhode Island tenant eviction protections at State House | website=ABC6 | date=March 18, 2025 | url=https://www.abc6.com/lawmakers-to-rally-for-rhode-island-tenant-eviction-protections-at-state-house/ | access-date=March 20, 2025}}
= Municipal programs =
Boston passed the Jim Brooks Community Stabilization Act of 2017.{{cite web | title=Council Passes the Jim Brooks Stabilization Act | website=Boston.gov | date=October 6, 2017 | url=https://www.boston.gov/news/council-passes-jim-brooks-stabilization-act | access-date=February 22, 2025}}
Philadelphia amended its Unfair Rental Practices law in 2018 to add just cause eviction protections.{{cite web | title=A Short History of Good Cause | website=The Philadelphia Partisan | date=December 15, 2018 | url=https://phillypartisan.com/2018/12/15/a-short-history-of-good-cause/ | access-date=February 22, 2025}}
United Kingdom
File:Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Matthew Pennycook, meets with Renters Rights bill stakeholders (53987840920).jpg discussing the Renters' Rights Bill, 2024]]
In England and Wales, a Section 21 notice allows landlords to evict tenants with no cause.{{Cite news |date=2023-05-16 |title=No-fault evictions to be banned in reform of rental sector |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-65612842 |access-date=2023-07-08}}
The Renters' Reform Bill was proposed in 2023 to ban no cause evictions nationwide, but failed to pass into law.{{Cite web |title=Guide to the Renters (Reform) Bill |url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guide-to-the-renters-reform-bill |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2023-06-27 |title=Warning more funding needed to enforce no-fault evictions ban |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-65989521 |access-date=2023-07-08}}{{cite web | last=Murdock | first=Meghann | title=No-fault evictions at highest level for 8 years as wait for reform continues | website=The Standard | date=February 19, 2025 | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/renting/no-fault-evictions-at-highest-level-renters-rights-bill-b1211930.html | access-date=February 22, 2025}}
A revised Renters' Rights Bill was introduced in 2024 and is pending within Parliament.