Jamestown, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 216 § 216-15
Tenant protections
Operative Text
A. Retaliatory eviction. It shall be unlawful for an owner to recover possession of a rental housing unit in retaliation of a tenant for exercising his or her right to file a complaint with the City advising that a building, housing, sanitation code or ordinance violation or permit violation may exist on the property. B. Rent increase or other retaliatory actions. If an order is made under this chapter, the owner shall not: (1) Increase the rent for the existing tenants of any rental housing unit that is the subject of the order from the date of the order to a period of one year after the Director determines that the owner has complied with the order; or (2) Engage in other types of retaliatory conduct, including, but not limited to, depriving the tenants of use of the premises, decreasing services, or otherwise interfering with the tenants' rights under the lease. C. Relocation costs. If the Director finds it is necessary to vacate any rental housing unit because of an unsafe or unsanitary condition, or to correct any violations, the costs and expenses of any tenant shall be the responsibility of the owner.
Section 216-15 of the Jamestown Code of Ordinances prohibits landlords from retaliating against tenants who file housing, sanitation, or code-violation complaints with the City. Once an order is issued under this chapter, rent increases for affected units are frozen from the date of the order until one year after the Director confirms compliance, and other retaliatory actions—such as reducing services or interfering with lease rights—are also banned. Additionally, if the Director determines a unit must be vacated due to unsafe or unsanitary conditions, the owner bears the financial responsibility for tenants' relocation costs.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 216-15, compliant property owners in Jamestown refrain from taking any adverse action—eviction, rent increases, service reductions, or other interference—against tenants who have filed code-violation complaints. When a compliance order is issued, operators generally track the order date and the Director's compliance determination carefully, since the rent-increase freeze runs from the former through one full year after the latter. Owners also budget for potential tenant relocation costs if the Director finds it necessary to vacate a unit due to unsafe or unsanitary conditions, as those expenses are the owner's responsibility under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 216-15 gives Jamestown tenants the right to file complaints about building, housing, sanitation, or permit violations without fear of eviction or other retaliation from their landlord. If a compliance order is issued, tenants in the affected unit are protected from rent increases during the order period and for one year after the Director confirms compliance, and landlords may not reduce services or otherwise interfere with lease rights during that time. Tenants who believe their landlord has violated these protections may consider raising the violation as a defense in eviction proceedings, filing a complaint with the City of Jamestown, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance on available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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