As many of you already know, the State Budget continues to be late in historical fashion, for the fourth year in a row. The blame sits squarely on Governor Kathy Hochul and her continued attempts to legislate through omnibus budget bill. Like her previous attempt to destroy New York State with her housing madness AKA the “Housing Compact” – which we defeated Statewide only to have the City of Yes and Ballot Questions get passed in the City – she has not given up one bit.

In her latest salvo, the Governor has proposed to get rid of SEQRA specifically as it relates to housing under her “LET THEM BUILD” agenda. Remember, this is the very law that we are using to sue on both the City of Yes and Charter Ballot Question lawsuits!

Following both former Mayor Adams, current Mayor Mamdani and former Speaker Adrienne Adams – who is now HOCHUL’S LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PICK (!), Hochul has insisted that we MUST get rid of SEQRA for housing so that development can be unleashed across New York State. Former Mayor Adams had already passed “Green Fast Track” two years ago which takes away review for “small projects” – meaning *175* units or less (NOT A SMALL PROJECT!) in the city. Now the Governor wants to stop all environmental review for new housing developments of *500* units or less! In addition, she wants review to end for all non-residential development – meaning commercial or industrial – of 50,000 square feet or less. And, Mamdani wants to track all of this with CEQR – the City’s version of SEQRA – to continue to take away the ability of the residents and property owners of New York City to have the ability to challenge BAD DEVELOPMENT.

AS OF LAST WEEK, THE STATE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY HAVE NOW ROLLED OVER. THAT’S RIGHT: NO CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO HOCHUL’S DESTRUCTION OF SEQRA.
I have already spoken at length with our attorney, Jack Lester, about what Hochul and the State Legislature are doing. He is confident that they are VIOLATING THE STATE CONSTITUTION and the recently-enacted GREEN AMENDMENT that guarantees clean air, water and the environment for every New Yorker. A Statewide coalition is needed to challenge this beyond Save1FamilyNY and it needs to be put together NOW.

Make sure you know the positions of everyone running for office, including GOVERNOR and LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, when it comes to this and other issues that you care about in both the Primary Elections coming up in June and the November ballot.