FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 1, 2022

City of Kingston Announces Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA) Public Information Sessions

KINGSTON, NY – Mayor Steven T. Noble is pleased to announce that the City of Kingston, in partnership with New York’s Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), will hold three public information sessions regarding the newly passed Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA).

Mayor Noble signed the Emergency Tenant Protection Act legislation into law on July 29, 2022 and is in effect as of August 1, 2022. More than 1,200 tenants now qualify for rent stabilization and other protections. Qualifying apartment buildings are all those constructed prior to 1974 with six or more units, including Dutch Village, Stony Run, and Fairview Gardens, among others. Government-subsidized or publicly owned buildings, such as those overseen by the Kingston Housing Authority, are not included under the ETPA. A full list of qualifying properties can be found here.

At the informational meetings, City staff and DHCR will explain the ETPA law, the rights of eligible tenants, and the next steps for implementing ETPA in Kingston. Over two days, the City of Kingston will hold two information sessions for tenants.

September 20, 2022

ETPA Informational Session for Tenants

City Hall Council Chambers & hybrid via Zoom

6:30-8pm

Register in advance for the virtual meeting here.

September 22, 2022

ETPA Informational Session for Tenants

Kingston Public Library (in-person only)

55 Franklin Street

6:00-8:00pm

“I want to thank the State officials from the DHCR and our City of Kingston Housing Initiatives Office for putting these events together,” said Mayor Noble. “We look forward to our continued efforts to educate all eligible tenants about this new set of protections afforded to so many of our residents. We encourage all to join us for these informative sessions and ask any questions you may have.”

The City of Kingston will also host a hybrid informational session for property owners on September 20, 2022 at 5:00pm in Council Chambers at City Hall and via Zoom. Advance registration for the Zoom is required.  Property owners can register for the virtual option here.

The City’s Department of Housing Initiatives will oversee the implementation of ETPA in coordination with New York State’s DHCR. A fact sheet can be found here here. For additional information about the implementation process and resources in Spanish, see https://hcr.ny.gov/city-of-kingston-adopts-etpa.

Earlier this year, the City of Kingston surveyed properties built before 1974 with six or more rental units to determine how many apartments are vacant, how many are occupied, and how many are vacant but not available to rent. According to the survey data, Kingston has a net vacancy rate of 1.57% for this class of rental properties. Based on the results, Kingston was eligible to declare a housing emergency and opt into the New York State ETPA. The rental protections under ETPA can only be applied to buildings constructed prior to 1974 with six or more units. The full vacancy report and methodology can be found here.

Mayor Noble established the Department of Housing Initiatives in 2020 to support housing planning in the City of Kingston. The Department manages housing-related grants, supports the construction of new market-rate and affordable housing, develops policies to protect existing residents, and addresses the connection between housing and sustainability, health, and mobility. The Department also reviews the disposition of city-owned property suitable for housing development and collaborates with local and regional housing organizations. Current projects include city-wide rezoning efforts, the Tiny Homes Project, Good Cause Eviction, short-term rental guidelines and more. Visit https://kingston-ny.gov/housing.