By Darron Wallace, SYRACUSE, N.Y, (NCC News)– In 2017, more than 5,000 Syracuse tenants were evicted.
Last month, a new law was signed that shifts power from landlords to tenants. Previously, tenants had 72 hours to leave the property after being issued an eviction notice.
Now, instead of 72 hours, the court order must give the tenant 14 days. If a tenant can pay in full at any time during the eviction process, the landlord must accept. Landlords can no longer use an eviction history or a landlord’s judgment as grounds for eviction. Now if a tenant requests an adjournment, the judge must grant the tenant a minimum of two weeks.
Anna Marie D’urzo of Spectrum Realty in Toronto said that this law is similar to the law in place in Toronto, and for Syracuse’s low income families, this is a step in the right direction.
“With this law, it is giving more rights and privileges to the tenant, which is a good thing.”, She said.
Some Syracuse landlords are not happy with this change as many believe they only use eviction as a last resort.
Moving forward, low-income families will benefit from these changes as two weeks of work, more often than not, can pay for a month of rent.
