The Binghamton City Council on Friday overrode Mayor Jared Kraham’s recent veto of the Good Cause Eviction law. The 6-0 vote was cast at a special meeting, and the council’s president, Michael Dundon, was not at the meeting.

Kraham recently wrote a letter to Dundon with concerns about the law after it was unanimously passed by the body last month. The override came after the initial vote was delayed at Wednesday night’s meeting after the council moved into executive session.

Rebecca Rathmell, a Democrat representing the Sixth Council District, wrote in a press release that each councilmember viewed their role as offering an opportunity to impact all residents, “not just those with the social clout or economic capital to warrant political consideration from prior representatives, was what compelled us to run for the seats we now hold.”

“Good Cause Eviction law is an example of our commitment to exactly that: limiting rent increases to modest amounts rather than the budget-breaking hikes that force households out of their homes; requiring efforts to evict to be based on justifiable intent rather than arbitrary preference; and protecting tenants who take measures to report discrimination or hazardous conditions from retaliation for advocating for themselves and their families,” she continued.

After councilmembers on Wednesday heard public comment and spoke about why they wanted to push the law forward, they moved into executive session at the request of the corporation counsel, where they were informed about “a procedural clause within the regulations that govern the adoption of local law that could allegedly expose” Good Cause Eviction to legal challenges should it be passed that evening, according to a release from Rathmell.

At both meetings, some local landlords and others in the real estate business spoke against the law, which they said could negatively impact the city and its housing market.

One speaker on Friday posed a question to the council, asking if any of them owned multifamily properties in the city, to which only Robert Cavanaugh II, who represents the Third Council District, raised his hand. They advocated for increased home ownership rather than the adoption of laws like Good Cause Eviction.

“I actually liked Binghamton when I first started buying the properties, but today as a realtor and representing the realtors, it is a really hard thing to swallow because how could we in good faith try to promote the city of Binghamton knowing that this is going on?” a representative from the Broome County Board of Realtors said.

“It will cause higher rent for tenants, decreased property maintenance because the landlords will not get the rent that they need to fix up the properties, fewer housing options,” they added. “The impact on the landlords would be a financial strain, especially on the small property owners.”

Some implored the council to wait until after they were able to analyze the law’s impact on municipalities similar to Binghamton. Others raised concerns about possible decreases in the market value of Binghamton and its potential to limit investors.

After more than 30 minutes of public comments on Friday against the law, councilmembers held a brief discussion where Cavanaugh cited his own experience as a landlord, speaking about eight of his tenants, who rent from him because their houses were bought and flipped by new landlords, creating a spike in rental cost.

In the March 14 letter, Kraham said the number of available units could dip under the law, as it could lead landlords to leave more units empty rather than rent to low-income tenants. Housing providers could also opt to do business in other municipalities without Good Cause Eviction laws, driving developments away from Binghamton.

“Good Cause Eviction, in this proposed form, will hurt the City of Binghamton,” Kraham wrote. “Its adoption would have a negative effect on our housing market and the families we all in good faith want to help.”

Rathmell argued in the press release that overriding the mayor’s veto was not an effort to ignore people’s questions and concerns about the housing market. She added that they did not want to continue “accepting the status quo,” saying a greater risk is posed by failing to implement policy that directly addresses housing insecurity.

Kraham added that Binghamton is not comparable to New York City, where the law was initially passed last year, saying that the city needs solutions that address “our unique circumstances.” The first section of Binghamton’s Good Cause Eviction law reads: “The City Council finds that the statewide Good Cause Eviction Law does not appropriately reflect the rental market conditions of the City of Binghamton and should be adjusted as permitted by law.”

The law prevents rent hikes of more than 10 percent and allows lease renewals if the tenant has not missed payments or violated their contract. Kraham emphasized his own track record on housing in the letter, mentioning the more than $10 million that has been allocated toward affordable housing projects and Binghamton’s designation as a Pro-Housing Community from Gov. Kathy Hochul.

“We look forward to supporting and monitoring the implementation and impact of Good Cause Eviction law and to continuing to prioritize the opportunity of every resident to have a safe, stable place to call home,” Rathmell wrote.