fbpx
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Print Edition
    • Get Home Delivery
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Submit Your Event
    • Customer Support
    • Submit A News Tip
    • Send Letter to the Editor
    • Where’s My Paper?
  • Our Newsletters
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial
Hudson Valley One
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s UP
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Subscribe to the What’s UP newsletter
  • Opinion
    • Letters
    • Columns
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Log Out
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s UP
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Subscribe to the What’s UP newsletter
  • Opinion
    • Letters
    • Columns
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Log Out
No Result
View All Result
Hudson Valley One
No Result
View All Result

Shifting sentiments complicate discussions on New Paltz’s “good cause” law

by Terence P. Ward
September 16, 2021
in Politics & Government
0
New Paltz is a de facto sanctuary community for undocumented immigrants

(Photo by Lauren Thomas)

Some of the people who rent out property in the Village of New Paltz are slowly coming to terms with a proposed law that would force them to renew leases for tenants except for “good cause,” which would include circumstances such as moving in a family member, or tenants breaking lease rules or local laws; one clause would allow a tenant to be paid off in order to get the owner out of signing a new lease. However, author Alexandria Wojcik faced tough questions at last week’s Village Board from the Mayor and other trustees, each of whom had concerns and none of whom were willing to take it on faith that the wording must not be altered. While they may be supportive of the concept, they are looking to Wojcik to show the work to prove it.

Rental owner Daniel Scherer is “coming around to the idea of this law,” despite observing that “not one person talked about problems in New Paltz,” at least presently. Where other rental owners have said that this is a “solution in search of the problem,” Scherer said it could “forestall problems in the future.” However, Scherer suggested waiting to see if the county legislature might act first.

Maggie Veve described “soul-searching” since initially coming out against this law; Veve feels that the newest version is “closer to being fair.”

Mayor Tim Rogers, who has self-identified as a “landlord in favor of this law,” brought a number of issues to the fore. For one, Rogers doesn’t appear comfortable calling the passive act of not renewing a lease a “de facto eviction,” as it was termed in one version of this proposed law. Wojcik’s position is that by creating a new right to renew, not renewing a lease would be included because this is “expanding the definition of eviction.” William Wheeler Murray and Michele Zipp agreed with the Mayor.

Another area that generated some concern was perceived imbalance created by requiring landlords to provide written notice of intent to renew or not, but not expecting tenants to provide any response at all. Wojcik explained that trying to find new housing for a tenant is time-consuming, and asserted that requiring more than the current “confirmable[sic] written notice” from the property owner might result in a murky conflict with state laws regarding holdover tenants, those who remain after a lease expires or ownership changes. Stana Weisburd didn’t think it would be right only to let the owner know the day before the lease runs out, perhaps because most people who rent out property have taken the risk of borrowing money and depend on rent to pay off those loans. Wojcik “struggled with” not including a response time for tenants, and asserted that “no scenario works” without providing the specifics leading to that conclusion.

Rogers said that only imposing notice requirements on one party “creates an awkward situation for all.”

Wojcik offered as a compromise a notification not based on when the owner provides notice, but the expiration of the lease, saying that it “doesn’t seem right to tie it to the landlord’s notice.” Asked about what happens if a tenant never responds, Wojcik replied, “Ideally that won’t happen,” but later added that it’s a “lot easier to find a tenant in this community.” Others on the board didn’t think 30 days would be sufficient, and settled on 45.

“We’ll see what feedback we get from that idea,” said Rogers.

The portion of this proposed law laying out what a judge might consider in determining that rent is “unconscionable” led to another lengthy discussion. Rogers, for example, wasn’t clear on how improvements to the building could or should be tied to the fact that a tenant has failed to pay rent. “Not all parts of the law . . . need to make sense to all of us,” said Wojcik. Questions and suggestions about adjusting the wording to make it clearer got similar responses.

Rogers said that it’s “hard to sign onto a law I can’t understand.”

“I don’t trust a layman’s language to work for the people it needs to work for,” said Wojcik.

With no one strongly supporting the Deputy Mayor’s vision, trustees agreed to revisit this at another time, when it can be addressed earlier in the evening and at greater length.

Tags: members
Join the family! Grab a free month of HV1 from the folks who have brought you substantive local news since 1972. We made it 50 years thanks to support from readers like you. Help us keep real journalism alive.
- Geddy Sveikauskas, Publisher

Terence P. Ward

Terence P Ward resides in New Paltz, where he reports on local events, writes books about religious minorities, tends a wild garden and communes with cats.

Related Posts

Korolkoff-Nagele recount
Politics & Government

Korolkoff-Nagele recount

June 26, 2025
Is the New Paltz supervisor race finished?
Politics & Government

Is the New Paltz supervisor race finished?

June 25, 2025
Letters to the editor: September 11, 2024 (Winston Farm, Shady dump, hostages and more)
Politics & Government

Public concerns outweigh support for Winston Farm proposal

June 25, 2025
Gotto, Rogers in Democratic primary contest for New Paltz town supervisor
Politics & Government

Tim Roger’s acceptance announcement for supervisor primary in New Paltz

June 25, 2025
Ulster County sets sites for early voting this fall
News

Primary election 2025:
 Key results in the Ulster County legislature, Kingston, New Paltz, Woodstock and Hurley

June 26, 2025
Woodstock to review police jobs as costs rise
Community

McKenna takes the heat again

June 22, 2025
Next Post
Saugerties site of Woodstock ’94 sold to local buyers

In Saugerties, developers propose massive Winston Farm Project

Weather

Kingston, NY
88°
Partly Cloudy
5:22 am8:36 pm EDT
Feels like: 91°F
Wind: 9mph S
Humidity: 51%
Pressure: 29.87"Hg
UV index: 1
TueWedThu
88°F / 68°F
88°F / 61°F
84°F / 59°F
powered by Weather Atlas

Subscribe

Independent. Local. Substantive. Subscribe now.

×
We've expanded coverage and need your support. Subscribe now for unlimited access -- free article(s) remain for the month.
View Subscription Offers Sign In
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Print Edition
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
  • Our Newsletters
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial

© 2022 Ulster Publishing

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Art
    • Books
    • Kids
    • Lifestyle & Wellness
    • Food & Drink
    • Music
    • Nature
    • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Contact Us
    • Customer Support
    • Advertise
    • Submit A News Tip
  • Print Edition
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
    • Where’s My Paper
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Log In
  • Free HV1 Trial
  • Subscribe to Our Newsletters
    • Hey Kingston
    • New Paltz Times
    • Woodstock Times
    • Week in Review

© 2022 Ulster Publishing