Rochester renters gain new protections as city council passes Good Cause Eviction Legislation

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester City Council has passed the Good Cause legislation with a 7-2 vote. Council Vice President LaShay Harris and Councilmember Michael Patterson voted against the measure. Those in favor included Council President Miguel Melendez and Councilmembers Mitch Gruber, Willie Lightfoot, Mary Lupien, Stanley Martin, Bridget Monroe, and Kim Smith.

The legislation includes an amendment from the City-Wide Tenant Union of Rochester that lowers the property size exemption. Only landlords with one unit are exempt from the new legislation ensuring protections apply to nearly all renters. Rent increases are limited to 7.7%.

The move aligns Rochester’s Good Cause with other upstate localities that adopted similar protections after the 2024 New York State budget.

The protections will go into effect for over 100,000 tenants in the city once signed into law by Mayor Malik Evans.