The Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019, which was signed into law in New York in June 2019, has led to the number of eviction cases filed by landlords to plummet. The new laws were designed to limit legal rent increases for rent-regulated apartments.

Eviction cases involving nonpayment of rent saw the biggest drop (46 percent) as compared to the same time period a year ago—roughly 35,000 cases. Eviction notices fell by 61 percent in July 2019 and 68 percent in August 2019 compared to those same months in 2018.

New Deadlines

One of the factors in why nonpayment cases have dropped is because now, according to the new laws, landlords have to wait 14 days before filing suit after giving a tenant an eviction notice. Before, landlords only had to wait three days. New rules also allow rent-regulated tenants to go back six years instead of four to dispute past rent charges. This longer look-back period means landlords may be worried about filing eviction notices because their tenants will file counterclaims.

Proponents of the new rules say that the new laws provide better tenant protections and increase the burden of proof for landlords when action is taken against them. Judith Goldiner, an attorney with Legal Aid, said that under the new law, landlords can no longer expect to see huge dividends if a tenant vacates an apartment. “The incentives to drive tenants out have just really decreased,” she said.

Landlords Have Worried About New Laws

Landlords and property owners have argued that the new laws will decrease their willingness to invest in repairs or renovations, which will eventually make tenants worse off in the long run. The Wall Street Journal reported in December 2019 that there was a 44 percent decline in renovations at rent-regulated buildings.

Melvin Monachan Provides Tenant/Landlord Assistance

Melvin Monachan has had a reputation for helping New York landlords for many years. If you are a landlord and have questions about the new laws, or if you are a tenant who has a landlord who is still trying to operate under the old way of filing an eviction, Melvin Monachan can provide sound, trusted advice. Initial consultations are always free, so either call 516-714-5763 or fill out a contact form today.