Tenants across New York are gearing up for a fight next legislative session to adopt protections for renters that haven't advanced in the past.

They rallied in New York City, Albany, Rochester and Newburgh on Thursday, announcing their legislative priorities for next session to address the housing crisis as rising inflation has led to record rent increases, poor living conditions, homelessness and more evictions. 

The legislation package features five bills, including Good Cause Eviction, to cap rent increases and protect tenants from unjust eviction; the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, which would give renters the first right to refusal if their building is put up for sale; the Housing Access Voucher Program to create a statewide rental subsidy program for low-income New Yorkers who are homeless or facing eviction; rent control reforms under the Emergency Tenant Protection Act; and a bill to create a statewide Social Housing Development Authority.

"What needs to happen is for there to be, at the core, that there needs to be the belief that housing is a human right for all community members," said Marco Flagg, tenant organizer of United Tenants of Albany. "That is something regardless of your income level, where you're from, whether you have been released from prison or jail, you deserve a place to say. You do not deserve to be cast aside and cast out into the cold, but that is what's happening to hundreds, if not thousands, of community members every day."

Flagg is a renter in the city of Albany and was one of several Capital City renters at Thursday's rally on Hamilton Street. He said renters need stronger protections from landlords who are often absent, fail to make necessary upgrades or increase rent to a level that forces people to leave their homes.

Realtors, small landlords and other property owners have fought against Good Cause Eviction and other reforms, saying they would discourage investments in New York and reduce housing quality. Seven cities across New York have passed local Good Cause Eviction statutes.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected to focus on the housing crisis in her State of the State address Jan. 10.

"We're looking forward to seeing what that actually means," said Canyon Ryan, United Tenants of Albany's executive director. "We're in talks with the Legislature... and have been in talks with the governor since last year."

The governor announced Wednesday the state would build 800,000 new affordable housing units in the next decade. 

But tenants and bill sponsors say officials cannot build themselves out of the housing crisis. They support the new construction, but are concerned that commitment will only benefit housing developers and not make a difference for low- or middle-income tenants.

While talking with reporters in the Capitol on Thursday, Hochul said she wants transform parking lots and empty space around old train stations or transportation hubs with new housing.

But she would not take a public stance on Good Cause Eviction or the other proposed tenant protections, saying she'll have conversations with the advocates and everyone involved.

"We will always listen and we will always hear people's concerns and address them in a way that fits into the larger story of us having to be able to build the housing, create the housing, create housing from conversions," Hochul said.

Over the last decade, rent has increased an average of $1,455 or 44.1% in New York City; $741 or 41.1% in Buffalo; a $741 in Syracuse, or an uptick of 32.8%; and a $918 increase in the city of Albany at 30.2% more since 2011, according to Housing Justice For All.

Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes, a Democrat from Brooklyn, sponsors the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act to give tenants the first priority to purchase their building when it's placed on the market.

"Why not give them an opportunity and, you know, help them financially, and actually purchase the building and become owners?" she said. "And this is a great opportunity for folks to move from the working class to the middle class by being homeowners."

Mitaynes says the proposed bills would improve living conditions and help combat homelessness.

The measures haven't passed either legislative house in the last few sessions.

Small landlords and property owners plan to maintain a similar fight to the housing advocates, and compete to be louder in the governor's ear.

Mitaynes says the bills should be included in the next budget. If not, the assemblywoman says she'll be talking with her colleagues to get more lawmakers on board and the measures to the governor's desk.

"I'm hopeful that we'll be able to have conversations and that they'll be interested and that this will be part of the plan, but I, like all New Yorkers, will be listening sensitively to the State of the State and listening to the governor rolling out her priorities," she said.

More than 177,000 evictions have been filed in the state this year to date, according to the state court system's online tracker, which may reflect delays. The state reports about 262,000 evictions filed in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.