SYRACUSE – Syracuse is 61% tenants and has some of the nation’s highest rent hikes, leading many to call for Good Cause protections that limit rent hikes and protect lease renewals. But in February, City Council sided with slumlords when they voted 5-4 against Good Cause. Good Cause eviction protections have been adopted in 15 other municipalities since the state authorized the program in April 2024, and Syracuse is the only city to vote it down.
Today, a coalition of tenant, labor, and community organizations announced a Vote Like a Tenant campaign in collaboration with the NYS Tenant Bloc to activate the tenant vote and win a pro-tenant City Government in the June 24 election. The campaign, which has already begun door knocking and touts over 400 signed-on Good Cause supporters, will use door-to-door canvassing, digital ads, and direct mail to ensure thousands of tenants are registered to vote and turn out for this year’s elections with Good Cause at the top of their mind.
Alexander Marion, Syracuse City Auditor said, “We lead the nation in childhood poverty. We are leading the nation in growing homeless populations… We also lead New York State as the only city that has thus far rejected Good Cause eviction protections when it’s been put up for a vote. In a city with skyrocketing rent prices, increasing homelessness, and over 60% renter population, we need everyone to commit to vote like a tenant and put tenant issues first in this year’s elections. I am excited to work with a broad coalition of community organizers, labor, and elected leaders to engage with our tenant neighbors and bring people out to vote like a tenant.”
Maurice Brown, Onondaga County Legislator for District 15 said, “We have Micron coming, and they’re going to bring 60,000 people — and when those people come, the landlords are going to jack the rents up just because they can. Those Micron jobs are not guaranteed to us. Who’s going to be living in our homes? That’s not fair. We need to take steps proactively and not reactively… Syracuse needs good cause eviction. We’re in a housing crisis in our community and we have to take actions to level the playing field. I’m calling on everyone in the City of Syracuse, everyone in the region to do the right thing. And the right thing is to Vote Like a Tenant.”
Genevieve Rand, Campaigns Organizer at the NYS Tenant Bloc said, “With some of the highest rent hikes in the country, it’s inexcusable that the City government refused to protect tenants. It’s a scandal. Tenants are the service workers, the teachers, the nurses who make Syracuse run every day, and we’re the majority in this city. The NYS Tenant Bloc is proud to mobilize the tenant vote for Good Cause to make sure City government is in the hands of the people, not corporate interests.”.
AK Myers, Co-Chair of the Syracuse Tenants Union said, “The biggest issues tenants come to us with are unfair evictions and deteriorated or outright unsafe living conditions, and the struggle they have finding the time, energy, and legal support to hold their landlords accountable. Many of them, despite going through the correct and lawful processes, still find themselves fighting a losing battle without the support of the courts or their city councilors… It’s clear that these elected officials simply aren’t listening and would rather ignore this city’s housing crisis, so we are no longer asking nicely. It’s time to vote like a tenant, do what is in the best interest of the city, and unseat those who oppose tenant’s rights.”
Deka Eysaman, Assistant Director of Field Organizing at the New York Civil Liberties Union said, “The NYCLU believes that housing is a basic right and that the Good Cause Eviction Law is essential for protecting people’s right to stable housing. The law promotes fairness and due process by requiring landlords to have legitimate reasons for evictions and directly addresses Syracuse’s affordable housing crisis. Today we stand with tenants and all community members who seek to take their power back by demanding the strongest version of good cause eviction be passed in Syracuse.”
Allen Rufus, Political Coordinator at 1199 SEIU said, “Many of the members of our union rent. Just as their union contract protects them in the workplace, they need protection when it comes to their landlords. We are here to say enough to slumlords. We are here to say enough to using loopholes to raise rents beyond tenants’ ability to pay. We are here to get 1000 renters out to vote and make Good Cause a reality in Syracuse.”
Oceanna Fair, Board Chair at Families for Lead Freedom Now said, “Good cause offers tenants a crucial layer of protection. In a time of soaring rents and alarming levels of childhood lead poisoning, this safeguard is more needed than ever. Tenants deserve to live without fear—free from retaliatory evictions when they demand safe conditions, and secure in the knowledge that they won’t be priced out of their homes.”
Yvonne Griffin, member leader at the Citizen Action of NY CNY chapter said, “There are 2,100 families losing special education services — not because they’re not attending school, but because they don’t have a home for an address for the school bus to pick them up at. I encourage all running candidates for City seats to adopt because your residents need this, and so do your children.”
Peter McCarthy, Coordinating Committee member at CNY Solidarity Coalition said, “Eviction should be a last resort not a threat landlords can use over tenants.This makes tenants afraid of reporting code violations and makes our community unstable. We are in a housing crisis and we need action now. Housing is a human right. Good Cause will help provide more stable housing and allow tenants to challenge high rent hikes. Tenants deserve safe homes and the right to speak up without fear and hold landlords accountable… Good Cause establishes and strengthens the principle that all residents have rights that must be protected… When you are heading to the polls this year, we encourage you to Vote Like a Tenant.”
