Rental Property Rules in Buffalo, NY (2026)
10 verified rental property rules for Buffalo, New York, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Rent Control
Buffalo is not subject to NYC-style rent stabilization, but NY Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA) allows opt-in. City Council has debated ETPA adoption; NY Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act 2019 strengthens tenant protections statewide.
Rental Property: Rent Control
Some RestrictionsJust Cause Eviction
Buffalo opted into New York State Good Cause Eviction protections in 2024 via Common Council resolution, limiting evictions and rent increases above set thresholds for covered units.
Rental Property: Just Cause Eviction
Heavy RestrictionsRental Registration
Buffalo requires all rental dwellings to be registered and inspected under the Rental Dwelling Licensing program administered by Permit & Inspection Services, with certificates valid three years.
Rental Property: Rental Registration
Heavy RestrictionsRelocation Assistance
Buffalo tenants displaced by code-enforcement vacate orders, condemnations, or building demolitions may receive relocation assistance through the city's Department of Community Services and Erie County Continuum of Care emergency funds.
Relocation Assistance for Displaced Buffalo Tenants
Some RestrictionsSecurity Deposit Rules
Under NY's Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019, Buffalo landlords cannot collect more than one month's rent as a security deposit and must return it within fourteen days of lease termination with itemized deductions.
NY HSTPA Security Deposit Rules in Buffalo
Heavy RestrictionsNo-Fault Evictions
NY HSTPA restricts no-fault evictions in Buffalo by requiring extended notice periods of 30, 60, or 90 days based on tenancy length, eliminating most month-to-month terminations without cause.
No-Fault Eviction Limits Under NY HSTPA
Heavy RestrictionsTenant Anti-Harassment
Buffalo tenants are protected from landlord harassment under NY Real Property Law and the city's anti-discrimination ordinance (Ch. 218), with intentional intimidation, utility shutoffs, or repeated unwanted entries treated as illegal eviction tactics.
Tenant Anti-Harassment Protections in Buffalo
Heavy RestrictionsSource-of-Income Discrimination
New York's 2019 Human Rights Law amendment and Buffalo Code Ch. 218 prohibit landlords from refusing tenants because their rent comes from Section 8 vouchers, SSI, veterans benefits, or other lawful non-wage income sources.
Source of Income Discrimination Ban
Heavy RestrictionsSection 8 Voucher Acceptance
Buffalo Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers are administered by BMHA and Belmont Housing Resources, with landlords required to accept vouchers under NY source-of-income protections and pass HUD habitability inspections before tenant move-in.
Section 8 Vouchers in Buffalo Rentals
Some RestrictionsEviction Moratorium History
During the COVID-19 emergency, New York enacted the Tenant Safe Harbor Act and successive eviction moratoriums through January 2022, freezing most Buffalo nonpayment and holdover proceedings and preserving tenancies during the pandemic.
Buffalo Eviction Moratorium History
Few RestrictionsLooking for Erie County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Buffalo city rules.
Rental Property Rules in Erie County →