New York State Would Cut Environmental Red Tape to Speed Housing Under New Budget

The chair of Herrick's Land Use & Zoning Practice, Mitch Korbey, spoke with the Commercial Observer about the tentative state budget agreement reached by New York lawmakers and Governor Kathy Hochul that will reduce red tape for real estate developers.

The article noted, Hochul announced "that the state would reform the 50-year-old State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), making housing and other infrastructure projects easier to pencil with a shorter assessment period that could lower development costs."

"This initiative must [also] provide for more staff for those projects that must be reviewed — too many housing developments and rezonings are delayed because city agencies lack the proper staff support," Mitch told the Commercial Observer. "A predictable, time-limited process with dedicated staff resources will have a direct positive result on sorely needed new housing projects."

Read the full article in the Commercial Observer here. Access may require a subscription.