A Binghamton University student is working to change how New York’s small claims court system treats student tenants.

Farhat Naimey serves as vice president of the Binghamton chapter of the New York Public Interest Research Group and is interning at the organization’s Albany office. She is helping promote state legislation that would allow upstate tenants to file small claims cases against downstate landlords in their local courts.

“Right now, under the current law, you cannot sue a downstate landlord in the local small claims court in Binghamton,” Naimey, a sophomore double-majoring in philosophy, politics and law and environmental studies, said during an interview. “Since most landlords are based in New York City, this would make it really difficult for students to sue their landlords. They would have to take time away from school, travel costs, and we’re all college students, so it’s not the most convenient way to try to sue your landlord.”

The proposed legislation aims to address a disparity that allows downstate tenants, like those in Nassau County, to sue upstate landlords in their local courts — a privilege not extended to upstate tenants. Naimey said this imbalance puts students in upstate cities at a disadvantage.

Naimey has worked with NYPIRG since her freshman year, focusing on consumer protection and tenant’s rights advocacy. She noted that many students either lose out on their security deposits or are charged for damages they didn’t cause, but they often don’t pursue legal action due to the complexity or inconvenience of doing so.

“At NYPIRG we run a small claims court action center,” Naimey said. “It’s actually a toll-free hotline that undergraduate students like myself are trained to become counselors for the small claims court. We provide guidance and advice to consumers who are seeking to use a small claims court.”

According to the Broome County Property Database, several student rental properties in neighborhoods around BU are owned by landlords with mailing addresses in New York City, Long Island or Westchester County.

Binghamton has taken other recent steps to address issues involving tenants and their landlords. Following weeks of controversy, the Binghamton City Council unanimously passed a Good Cause Eviction law in February that is intended to protect Binghamton tenants from retaliatory or unjustified evictions. The council overrode Mayor Jared Kraham’s veto of the law in March.

In her role with NYPIRG, Naimey has contributed to drafting and promoting the bill through lobbying visits, testimony and outreach to lawmakers. She urges students, faculty and staff to contact their local representatives to advocate for the bill’s passage in the legislative session.

The bill’s sponsors in the State Legislature have not yet announced a date for a vote, but tenant advocates and student organizers hope the growing support will push it forward.

Students interested in getting involved can reach out to NYPIRG’s Binghamton chapter or attend upcoming advocacy events on campus. The organization plans to host a training session on Monday over Zoom to teach students how to contact their local representatives.

“We obviously believe that tenants who reside upstate deserve the same rights as tenants who reside in New York City and Long Island, and so my hope is that Binghamton students will contact their State Senator and Assembly member and urge them to pass this bill during this session,” Naimey said.