Rent control rules in Ulster County, NY — also known as rent stabilization or rent cap ordinances — limit annual rent increases and protect tenants from displacement.
New York State opted Kingston into the Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA) in 2022, making Kingston the first upstate city to adopt rent stabilization. This covers buildings with 6+ units built before 1974, limiting annual rent increases under Rent Guidelines Board determinations. Other Ulster County municipalities have not opted into ETPA. The 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act applies statewide protections.
Kingston declared a housing emergency and opted into ETPA in August 2022, making it the first municipality outside NYC/Nassau/Westchester to adopt rent stabilization under NY Unconsolidated Laws §8621 et seq. ETPA covers buildings with 6 or more units built before January 1, 1974. Kingston's Rent Guidelines Board sets annual adjustment percentages — the inaugural 2022 order reduced rents up to 15% in many stabilized units, though litigation (Hudson Valley Property Owners Association v. Kingston) challenged the reductions. The 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act (HSTPA) applies statewide: security deposits capped at 1 month's rent (RPL §7-108), 30/60/90-day notice for non-renewal based on tenancy length (RPL §226-c), 5-day rent payment grace period with late fees capped at $50 or 5% (RPL §238-a), and eviction proceedings under RPAPL Article 7. Warranty of habitability (RPL §235-b) applies to all residential rentals statewide. Towns like New Paltz, Saugerties, and Woodstock have not adopted ETPA. Kingston also enforces a Good Cause Eviction-style local law and rental registration for non-owner-occupied properties.
ETPA violations carry treble damages for willful rent overcharges plus attorney fees under Unconsolidated Laws §8632. HSTPA violations may void security-deposit claims and result in $500-$1,000 penalties. Good Cause violations may bar eviction proceedings.
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See how Ulster County's rent control rules stack up against other locations.
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