What Is Good Cause Eviction Law And Bill In Plain English?

Good cause eviction means a landlord may end a tenancy only for reasons the law explicitly permits. The law's protections bar arbitrary removals and limit eviction triggers to a short, predefined list.

Typical valid grounds include owner‑occupancy, demolition or substantial renovation, conversion to a condo or co‑op, and tenant non‑payment of rent. In New York City, for example, the NYC Good Cause eviction FAQ confirms these are the only accepted reasons.

Buildings with fewer than five units, public housing, and some supportive‑housing projects are generally exempt from the law's requirements, meaning the listed grounds do not apply there. As we covered above, owner‑occupancy is not an exemption but a recognized ground for eviction under the law.

Any tenant residing in a unit that the law covers generally qualifies for its protections, whether the lease is month‑to‑month or fixed‑term, unless a specific exemption applies (as noted in the 'Spot exemptions' section). The definition of 'tenant' usually includes sub‑tenants and occupants of shared‑housing arrangements, provided the tenancy began after the law took effect.

Exemptions depend on jurisdiction; common examples involve owner‑occupied properties or certain short‑term rentals, so checking the local statute is essential (California's Good Cause Eviction Act).

• Generally, any occupant with a signed rental agreement is covered.
• Typically, the law applies to both long‑term and month‑to‑month leases.
• Some jurisdictions exempt units that the landlord lives in or that are classified as vacation rentals.
• Landlords may be exempt if the property is a single‑family home owned and occupied by the owner, but this varies.
• Tenants in buildings with fewer than a statutory number of units often remain protected, though local rules differ.

Exemptions to the good cause eviction law vary by jurisdiction and property type. Identify which category your rental falls into to see whether the law's protections apply.

• Owner‑occupied primary residence: generally exempt when the landlord lives in the unit as his main home, typically covering single‑family houses or duplexes, not every two‑unit building.Oregon's HB 2911 just‑cause eviction statute
• Mobile homes on private land: often exempt if the tenant rents only the structure while the landlord owns the land; the exemption appears in several state statutes.
• Newly constructed units: typically exempt from rent‑control limits for a defined period, but the law's eviction protections still apply regardless of building age.
• Mixed‑use properties: exemptions depend on local definitions; generally, only jurisdictions that expressly set a percentage threshold create an output exemption, and most do not.
• Government‑owned or subsidized housing: generally excluded from private‑sector exemptions, so tenants retain full protections under the law.
• Certain short‑term or seasonal rentals: typically fall outside the law when the lease runs less than 30 days or the unit is advertised as a vacation stay.New York City rent‑stabilization rules

Valid eviction grounds under the good cause eviction law focus on truly disruptive behavior or essential property needs. The law generally allows landlords to end a tenancy only when a listed cause applies, even though some exemptions exist elsewhere in the article.

• Failure to pay rent after proper notice.
• Repeated or serious violation of lease terms (e.g., unauthorized subletting).
• Damage that threatens health, safety, or habitability.
• Engagement in illegal activity on the premises.
• Necessity for substantial renovations that cannot be performed with tenants in place.
• Owner's intent to occupy the unit as a primary residence.

These grounds typically survive most exemptions, meaning an exemption does not nullify a valid cause. Recent rulings, such as the 2023 landmark good cause eviction decision, reinforce this hierarchy. Next, the guide explains how to combat excessive rent hikes while staying within the law's protections.

The law lets tenants dispute rent hikes that aren't backed by good cause or that surpass any statutory limit.

1. Identify the proper forum for rent‑increase disputes in your state - usually a housing court, civil court, or a designated administrative tribunal - and confirm the filing window, which can be as short as five days or as long as thirty days. New York housing court filing guide illustrates how deadlines vary.
2. Assemble the lease, the landlord's notice, a record of past rents, and any applicable rent‑control or rent‑stabilization ordinance that sets a percentage or CPI‑based cap; remember, caps exist only where the law imposes them.
3. Submit a petition or complaint to the identified agency using the official form, ensuring the deadline is met; generic 'housing department' filings rarely satisfy the requirement.
4. Attend the scheduled hearing and argue that the proposed increase violates the law's protections because it lacks a legitimate reason or exceeds the local cap; bring your rent history and the ordinance text as evidence.
5. Should the initial ruling favor the landlord, appeal to the next‑higher trial court or specialized appellate board, depending on the jurisdiction's appellate path.

(As we covered above, exemptions never override valid grounds, so the focus remains on proving the increase isn't justified under the law.)

Good cause eviction law sets the baseline for any lease renewal; first, read the incoming contract line‑by‑line and flag clauses that raise rent or change occupancy limits. Match any increase against valid grounds - for example, capital improvements or market adjustments that the law permits in your jurisdiction. If the locality lacks a statutory rent‑increase cap, treat the proposed hike as negotiable rather than automatically unlawful.

When a landlord cites a reason that appears outside exemptions or contradicts protections, pause signing and demand a written explanation. Document the request, then compare it with the earlier 'spot exemptions' discussion to gauge legitimacy. Typically, a polite‑but‑firm follow‑up resolves the dispute; persistently questionable terms warrant a quick consult with a tenant‑rights attorney or a complaint to the city housing authority, setting the stage for the real‑tenant‑wins case study ahead.

Recent rulings show tenants can win when the law's protections are enforced.

• California's 2020 Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) - a tenant successfully contested a 20 % rent hike; the court ordered the landlord to apply the statutory 5 % cap, illustrating that the law's rent‑increase limits are generally enforceable. California's rent‑cap statute summary
• New York's 2021 Good Cause Eviction law - a landlord's claim of 'substantial renovation' failed to meet the evidentiary threshold, and the tenant retained the lease, demonstrating that valid grounds must be well‑documented. New York Good Cause Eviction legislation
• Washington State's 2021 just‑cause amendment (RCW 59.18.300) - a Seattle tenant forced the landlord to provide a written justification; the notice was dismissed because 'substantial damage' was absent, confirming that the law's exemptions do not override required valid grounds. Washington's just‑cause eviction code
• Oregon's 2023 rent‑increase limit (SB 608) - an administrative hearing reduced a proposed 12 % increase to the statutory 7 % maximum, showing that the law's protections against excessive hikes are typically upheld. Oregon's rent‑increase cap details
• District of Columbia's 2022 Good Cause Eviction Ordinance - a landlord could not prove 'owner move‑in' intent, resulting in a rent‑abatement award for the tenant, highlighting that the ordinance's valid‑ground requirements are strictly applied. DC Good Cause Eviction ordinance

Here are the five most common myths about the law, debunked:

1. Myth: Notice length changes with the eviction reason.
   Reality: The law ties notice to tenancy duration - 30 days for occupants under 12 months, 60 days for those 12 months or longer - regardless of which valid ground is used. California's just‑cause notice requirements confirm this.
2. Myth: Exempt units let landlords dodge good‑cause grounds.
   Reality: Exemptions remove a unit from the law entirely; landlords may evict for any lawful reason, but the 'owner‑move‑in' ground remains a permissible valid ground, not an exemption.
3. Myth: Only landlords benefit from the law.
   Reality: Tenants receive protections under the law, including the right to contest evictions that lack a valid ground or proper notice.
4. Myth: All small‑building rentals are automatically exempt.
   Reality: Exemptions apply to specific categories - owner‑occupied single‑family homes, duplexes, and certain accessory dwelling units - not merely to size or number of units.
5. Myth: The law retroactively governs existing leases.
   Reality: It applies to tenancies that began after the law's effective date; leases signed earlier continue under prior rules unless renewed post‑implementation.

In small buildings the good cause eviction law still governs, yet a handful of atypical situations test its limits.

Landlords sometimes lean on exemptions that look legitimate at first glance, but the underlying facts push the scenario into gray‑area territory:

• Owner occupies one of four units to claim 'personal use,' even though the building's rent‑stabilized status suggests the tenant should stay.
• Co‑op conversion triggers a 'sale' exemption, while the landlord simultaneously cites severe repairs as a valid ground.
• Short‑term sublet creates a vacancy exemption, yet the primary tenant defaults on rent, prompting an eviction demand.
• City‑ordered structural shutdown forces all occupants out, and the owner attempts eviction without offering relocation assistance.
• Relative moves into a unit in a three‑apartment building, invoking a personal‑use exemption despite the unit being listed on the market as rent‑stabilized.

These edge cases illustrate why the law's protections often intersect with exemptions, a point revisited in the upcoming discussion of future changes you'll want to watch (NYC tenant protection overview).

The good cause eviction law is set to evolve as lawmakers, courts, and city councils react to housing‑market pressure. Expect three main fronts to shift: statewide bills broadening tenant protections, local ordinances tightening exemption clauses, and federal guidelines nudging rent‑increase formulas (see NPR's 2024 tenant‑protection overview for a snapshot).

• A pending state amendment could add 'habitability‑related' reasons to the list of valid grounds, limiting landlords' ability to cite minor repairs.
• Several municipalities are drafting ordinances that would remove the 'small‑building exemption,' forcing owners of 5‑unit properties to comply with the law.
• Proposed rent‑increase caps may tie allowable hikes to the consumer‑price index rather than arbitrary percentages, tightening the challenge‑excessive‑rent hurdle.
• New enforcement provisions could require landlords to submit a written justification to a housing board before filing any eviction, creating an administrative checkpoint.
• Federal housing agencies are piloting a data‑driven model that could standardize 'good cause' definitions across states, potentially overriding local variations.