Good Cause Eviction gives many NYC renters stronger lease-renewal rights. If your apartment is covered, a landlord generally needs a legally recognized reason to refuse renewal, and unusually large rent increases can be challenged as presumed unreasonable.
It is not the same as rent stabilization — it's a separate set of protections for certain market-rate tenancies. The questions that matter most: is your unit covered, does the increase cross the current local rent standard, and does the landlord actually have a valid reason to refuse renewal?
One rule, in one sentence.
April 20, 2024
Good Cause Eviction is a NY State law (NY Real Property Law § 231-c) that applies to certain market-rate tenancies. It does not override rent stabilization — it's a separate, narrower set of protections for market-rate units that aren't already regulated under another regime.
Coverage is the first question.
Often points to coverage
- The apartment is market-rate rather than already rent-stabilized.
- Your landlord owns more than 10 residential units in New York (counted across their whole NY portfolio, not just your building).
- The unit rent is below 245% of fair market rent for the area (the high-rent exemption threshold).
Common reasons for exemption
- Small landlord — the landlord owns 10 or fewer residential units in NY in total.
- Newer construction — buildings issued a Certificate of Occupancy on or after January 1, 2009 are exempt for 30 years from the CO date.
- High-rent unit — rent above 245% of fair market rent for the area.
- Already regulated — rent stabilization, NYCHA, Mitchell-Lama, certain HUD-subsidized units, and owner-occupied co-ops/condos.
Coverage can turn on the landlord's total NY portfolio, the building's CO date, the unit's rent vs the current FMR, and whether another regulatory regime already covers the unit. Confirm current numbers against the official NYC HPD Good Cause page and NYS HCR Good Cause page before relying on coverage.
How much can a landlord raise rent?
The law uses a local rent standard to judge whether an increase is presumed unreasonable. The formula is 5% plus the regional Consumer Price Index, capped at 10%. HPD publishes the current NYC threshold each year, so the exact number changes with inflation — check the current HPD figure before assuming an increase is or isn't over the standard.
- An increase above the current local rent standard is presumed unreasonable — but the presumption is rebuttable.
- A landlord can try to justify a larger increase by pointing to documented cost increases or significant repairs or improvements to the unit or building.
- Whether the increase is ultimately lawful depends on the facts and the forum (e.g., raised as a defense in housing court).
Good Cause won't cap the increase. NY's general notice rules still apply — landlords must provide written notice of an increase of 5% or more (30, 60, or 90 days' notice depending on tenancy length under RPL § 226-c) — but the Good Cause rent-standard analysis itself only kicks in for covered units.
Important: not being covered doesn't mean you have no protections — it means you have to look elsewhere (rent stabilization, lease terms, security deposit rules, etc.) instead of Good Cause.
When can a landlord refuse renewal?
Examples often cited as valid causes
- Nonpayment of rent
- Substantial lease violations
- Nuisance or illegal use allegations
- The landlord's own personal use of the unit, under specific conditions
- Withdrawal of the unit from the rental market
- Other causes recognized by the statute and the court
Common renter warning sign
If a covered tenant receives a non-renewal or major increase with little or no explanation, the first step is to collect the written notice and confirm whether the landlord identified the apartment as Good Cause covered or exempt.
Under RPL § 231-c the landlord generally has to identify a recognized cause. A non-renewal that doesn't identify one — or that cites a reason that doesn't appear in the statute — is worth a closer look with counsel.
The strongest position comes from documentation.
Get every notice in writing
The renewal offer, the rent increase, and any exemption the landlord claims should all be on paper. Verbal explanations evaporate the moment a dispute starts.
Check official guidance
Before responding, confirm the current rules against the live HPD, HCR, and Attorney General pages — the rent standard updates annually with regional CPI.
NYC HPD →Compare to the current local rent standard
Use the latest HPD-published number, not an old screenshot or a number you saw in a social post. The rent standard moves each year.
HPD current figure →Talk to a tenant attorney or advocate
If the facts look disputed — coverage, the size of the increase, the reason for non-renewal — get qualified counsel before withholding rent or refusing to sign anything.
Read this with the other guides.
Common questions
The Good Cause and rent-increase questions NYC renters ask most often.