State lawmakers said they are not opposed to making future technical changes to the Good Cause Eviction law after tenant and landlord advocacy groups have called for amendments to clarify the policy.

Small property owners and tenant advocates said Thursday they've had discussions with lawmakers about a subsequent bill to clean up parts of the law, which caps rent increases to 10% or the rate of inflation plus 5%.

Assembly Housing Committee chair Linda Rosenthal said she'd like to strengthen the law at some point in the future.

"I think we have to examine it," Rosenthal told Spectrum News 1. "We have to look at how it was rolled out, cases where it needs shoring up, perhaps. ...I think we need to do some tightening and make it a smoother process."

Last year's budget included the sweeping new tenant protections that aim to prevent landlords from forcing out renters without proper justification or by imposing excessive rent hikes. 

The assemblywoman said the law could be amended to reduce paperwork for landlords and ensure tenants are notified of the policy. 

"Any new program has wrinkles and you have to work them out, but I think there are some things that both sides would agree are necessary to make it easier for landlords and make it easier for tenants," Rosenthal said.

The New York Apartment Association supports a change to clarify rent increases on vacant units and when good cause language must be included in a lease, according to the group.

Members of the association had meetings with Senate housing staff last fall about a bill to make provisions of the law less ambiguous.

Senate Housing Commitee chair Brian Kavanagh said it’s possible the Legislature will make small tweaks to the law in the future, but not as lawmakers focus on the budget due April 1.

"I don't have any good reason to believe that there will be a real conversation about that this session, but obviously, anything can change," the senator said. "We really are focused on the budget."

Changes this year are unlikely and would take place outside the budget negotiations.

Lawmakers are not currently engaging in serious negotiations to change the law and the timeline remains unclear. Legislation to amend the law has not been drafted to date.

Sen. Julia Salazar, who sponsored Good Cause, said she would be in favor of minor technical changes to the law, including clarifications to improve landlord compliance so tenants know their rights. The senator added the likelihood of future amendments does not mean the Legislature will revisit the whole policy. 

Housing Justice for All director Cea Weaver led the fight for Good Cause during last year’s budget and agrees the law could be amended to better inform tenants of the policy, adding she’d support clearing up language that exempts new construction.

"Is it the date that the tenant moved in, is it the date that building construction started, is it the date construction finished or that financing closed?" Weaver said. "The legal language is not always all that clear."

Fourteen counties outside New York City have opted into the policy by adopting a local law. Weaver said several local versions of the legislation are stronger than what state lawmakers adopted.

"That tells me there is appetite for a stronger legislation and I hope we can get that done one day," she said.

But she’s concerned making technical changes would give landlords and the Real Estate Board of New York a chance to make larger changes that would water down the law, adding the amendments must be done at the right time.

REBNY declined to comment on potential changes to last year's housing deal without details of a proposal.