What's happening
The Tenants Organizing Act expands protections for tenants forming organizations, guarantees meeting rights, and requires good-faith engagement from landlords.
Why it matters
The act clearly defines what constitutes a "tenants' organization". and specifies a detailed list of activities that such organizations can lawfully engage in, including outreach, information sharing, and holding meetings without landlord oversight—clarifying and broadening what tenant organizing legally means.
It imposes new, explicit obligations on landlords. to not only refrain from retaliation or interference against tenants who organize, but also to actively confer in good faith with tenant organizations on key issues like housing conditions and community relations—shifting the legal standard from passive non-interference to proactive engagement.
The law guarantees tenants and their organizations the right to hold meetings (including with outside guests such as elected officials and lawyers) in common areas without fees,. making it easier for tenants to organize and seek support both internally and externally, and reducing practical barriers to collective action.
It introduces a formal process for tenants to establish a recognized organization and to require landlord attendance at meetings,. creating procedural steps and timelines that aim to empower tenants structurally in their interactions with property owners and ensure regular dialogue.
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Who cares
Tenants and tenant organizations
The bill would spell out protected organizing activities, provide a petition process for establishing an organization and require good-faith discussions with landlords.
Landlords and property managers
The bill would prohibit interference with lawful organizing and require landlords or their representatives, upon proper written request, to attend at least one tenant organization meeting every six months.
Housing lawyers, service providers and elected officials
Tenant groups would have an explicit right to invite them to regular meetings in common areas without paying a fee, subject to reasonable-hours and access requirements.
Headline styles
Protect Tenant Organizing Rights
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Reported and committed to housing, construction and community development
- Referred to judiciary
- Reported and committed to housing, construction and community development
- Referred to judiciary
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Protect Tenant Organizing Rights
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Anna Kelles
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1557
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 10, 2025
Introduced by Sen. MAY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the real property law, in relation to enacting the "tenants organizing act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "tenants organizing act".
§ 2. Section 230 of the real property law, as added by chapter 809 of the laws of 1975 and subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 90 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as follows:
§ 230. Right of tenants to form, join or participate in tenants' groups. 1. For the purposes of this section, the term "tenants' organization" means a bona fide organization of tenants who represent the occupied rental units in a rental housing property with five units or more, or a bona fide organization working to achieve such status. Tenants' organizations may engage in the following activities, including but not limited to: (a) initiating contact with tenants, including by conducting door-to-door surveys, to ascertain interest in or seek support for forming a tenant organization; (b) joining or supporting another tenant organization; (c) distributing literature; (d) requesting or providing information; (e) offering assistance; (f) convening meetings, which may occur without a landlord or landlord representative present; or (g) otherwise acting on behalf of one or more tenants in the building regarding issues of common interest or concern.
2. No landlord shall interfere with the right of a tenant to form, join or participate in the lawful activities of any group, committee or other organization formed to protect the rights of tenants; nor shall any landlord harass, punish, penalize, diminish, or withhold any right, benefit or privilege of a tenant under [his] their tenancy for exercising such right.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00053-01-5
[2.] 3. Tenants' groups, committees or other tenants' organizations shall have the right to meet without being required to pay a fee in any location on the premises including a community or social room where use is normally subject to a fee which is devoted to the common use of all tenants in a peaceful manner, at reasonable hours and without obstructing access to the premises or facilities. No landlord shall deny such right.
4. Tenants' groups, committees or other tenants' organizations shall have the right to invite outside guests or visitors, including but not limited to elected officials, service providers, and housing lawyers, to their regular meetings without being required to pay a fee in any location on the premises including a community or social room where use is normally subject to a fee which is devoted to the common use of all tenants in a peaceful manner, at reasonable hours and without obstructing access to the premises or facilities. No landlord shall deny such right.
5. No landlord or an agent of a landlord shall prohibit or interfere with a tenant of a rental unit in a building, or a guest invited by a tenant, from engaging in lawful organizing activities.
6. Tenants in a building may establish a bona fide tenants' organization pursuant to this section by providing their landlord with a petition signed by tenants representing occupied units within a building or property certifying that such tenants desire to form a tenants' organization. A copy of such petition may also be filed with the clerk of the governing municipality.
7. Landlords and tenants' organizations shall confer with each other in good faith regarding housing conditions, community life, landlordtenant relations, and other issues of common interest or concern. Examples of conferring in good faith may include maintaining a designated point of contact, engaging in regular communications, responding to reasonable requests for information, allowing participation by non-resident advocates, and negotiating and putting agreements into writing. In addition, a landlord shall, on written request of a tenants' organization, attend either themselves or through their representative at least one tenants' organization meeting every six months, although more frequent attendance at the request of the tenants' organization shall be permitted. Such meetings shall occur at a mutually convenient time and place. To request that a landlord or their representative attend a meeting, the tenants' organization shall send the landlord a written request at least fourteen days in advance. Alternatively, if a tenants' organization meets at a regularly scheduled time and place, then such tenants' organization may send the landlord a single standing request to attend meetings for the duration of the calendar year.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the real property law, in relation to enacting the "tenants organizing act"
Summary of provisions
Expands section 230 of the real property law to include definitions and protected activities of tenants' organizations, a process for establish- ing and being recognized, and a requirement for good faith engagement between property owners and tenant organizations.
The B-print makes technical changes.
Justification
Under current law, tenants can to form organizations to advocate for their rights as residents of rental properties. Across the state, these organizations have proven effective in helping improve conditions inside rentals and, just as importantly, help to foster a stronger sense of community. While the law provides a basic structure to allow the forma- tion of tenants associations, there is no formal defmition of what they are, how they are registered, what rights they may or may not have, or whether landlords must recognize or engage with such associations in their properties. This bill will firmly establish what counts as a tenants organization, the kinds of activities they can engage in, how they can be established and recognized, and the kinds of good faith engagement landlords and tenant organizations must engage in to improve the quality of life in their communities.
Legislative history
2023-2024 - S.6348-B (May) / A.7057-A (Kelles)
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.