Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham has vetoed the recently passed Good Cause Eviction law, which sought to protect tenants from unreasonable evictions.

The law, passed unanimously last month by the City Council, was introduced in December by Nate Hotchkiss ‘12, a Democrat representing Binghamton’s Fourth Council District. In a letter to the council’s president, Michael Dundon, Kraham wrote that Good Cause Eviction would hurt the city by adversely affecting the housing market and families in need.

“Binghamton is not New York City,” Kraham wrote in the letter. “Binghamton needs its own solutions that address our unique circumstances, not a New York City-style law designed to punish New York City landlords.”

“The City should, at minimum, study the impacts of these regulations in other Upstate municipalities who rushed to adopt them — especially as this version deviates from State enabling legislation and does not exempt landlords who own 10 units or less,” he continued.

Kraham raised several concerns with the law, arguing that housing companies could choose to invest in other local municipalities that have not implemented similar regulations. He said that if landlords were prevented from responding to market or tenancy changes, they could raise rent to “the maximum allowed by default.”

Reflecting on his track record on housing, Kraham said no other local official “has delivered more in terms of support, advocacy and new investments in housing.” His letter mentioned Binghamton’s status as the first city in New York designated as a Pro-Housing Community by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration. and that more than $11 million has been allocated toward affordable housing projects.

A few weeks ago, he added, a $10 million grant was secured to revitalize the First Ward’s historic Clinton Street, the site of three affordable housing developments.

“While at times we have differences of opinion on certain projects or programs, council members have been engaged and active in Binghamton’s housing challenges and understand what’s at stake,” Kraham wrote in the letter. “Across New York State, Binghamton is looked to as a leader in housing. I’m proud of that.”

The Good Cause Eviction law prevented rent hikes of more than 10 percent and allowed for lease renewals if the tenant has not violated their contracts or missing payments. Rebecca Rathmell, a Democrat representing the Sixth Council District, said Kraham had failed to provide any “actual data” supporting his argument that the legislation could hurt Binghamton tenants.

“Rather than listen to the dozens of tenants who expressed their support of the enhanced protections Good Cause will afford them and their families, Kraham again chose to defer to members of the real estate industry whose primary complaint has been the law’s perceived impact on their profit potential,” Rathmell wrote.

“This administration’s rejection of a policy to strengthen housing stability for Binghamton residents came as no surprise to Council and in no way changes our intention of moving Good Cause Eviction law forward,” she added.

Attached to the veto announcement was a letter from Greater Opportunities for Broome and Chenango, an organization that provides housing, education and emergency assistance to low-income families across Broome and Chenango counties, expressing its opposition to Good Cause Eviction. The organization said the law could make landlords less inclined to rent to low-income tenants because of increased challenges in property management, which could subsequently decrease the amount of affordable housing.

Kraham’s letter also included a quote from Hotchkiss: “Because this law is relatively new, there has not been time to adequately measure trends in other NYS municipalities.” The statement was in response to a question Kraham had asked about how the legislation has impacted median rent levels over time.

“In short, Mayor Kraham asked an un-answerable question and I gave an honest response that there is no one way of answering his question,” Hotchkiss told Pipe Dream in response.

Good Cause Eviction was included in a state budget and took effect in New York City in April 2024, after which municipalities across the state were able to opt in by passing local legislation. Landlords can still evict tenants for “good cause,” like neglecting to pay rent.

When it was first introduced, the law was met with mixed reactions. At a Jan. 29 meeting, the legislation was held back to add amendments and to “move it forward quickly.”

“Good Cause Eviction will increase housing stability, combat unreasonable rent increases, and protect tenants from retaliatory unjust evictions,” Hotchkiss said in a Dec. 2 press release, at the time of the law’s introduction. “It’s critical that we utilize all the legislative tools at our disposal to combat the housing crisis and create stability in neighborhoods.”

Hotchkiss confirmed that the City Council plans to vote to override Kraham’s veto, which would require the support of at least five of the body’s seven members.