Governor Kathy Hochul held a roundtable with leaders from across New York on March 23 to highlight her “Let Them Build” agenda, which aims to speed up housing and infrastructure development as part of her 2026 State of the State. The initiative proposes reforms to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and executive actions intended to expedite projects that typically do not have significant environmental impacts but have faced delays due to regulatory red tape.
The discussion comes at a time when major projects in New York are taking significantly longer than in other states, resulting in higher costs. According to Governor Hochul, “For too long, red tape has stood in the way of communities building the housing and infrastructure that New Yorkers desperately need. That’s why this year, I proposed that when a community says yes to housing and to critical infrastructure like clean water and childcare facilities, we are going to let them build.” She added, “New York has always been a state that builds, and with these reforms, we can recapture that ambition, making it easier and more affordable to build while preserving essential environmental protections. I have heard the urgency of these reforms from leaders across our state, and standing with them, I will fight to get it done.”
Participants at the roundtable included mayors from several cities as well as representatives from organizations focused on affordable housing and rural development. They discussed how current regulations can add years of delay or tens of thousands of dollars in additional costs for new developments—factors contributing directly to New York’s ongoing housing crisis.
Hochul’s proposal would exempt certain types of low-impact housing projects from SEQRA review while still requiring compliance with other state regulations regarding water use, air quality, natural resource protection, local zoning laws, permitting requirements, and flood risk assessments. The plan also calls for similar exemptions for specific categories of critical infrastructure such as clean water systems built away from sensitive areas; green stormwater management solutions; parks; trails; and new or renovated child care centers—all located on previously disturbed land.
Additional measures include setting clear timelines for SEQRA reviews where they remain necessary; streamlining environmental impact statements for key project categories; modernizing permitting processes using new technologies; expediting major state-led projects; and supporting local governments through a new permitting academy.
Hochul said these changes will make it easier for communities across New York “to build the housing they need so more hardworking households can afford a place to call home.” She concluded by reiterating her commitment: “For too long red tape has stood in the way…when a community says yes…we are going to let them build.”