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Westchester County mayors convened in New Rochelle last week to call for the inclusion of Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed modernization of the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) in the enacted FY27 New York State Budget. The proposal is currently a central component of Governor Hochul’s “Let Them Build” agenda to accelerate development of housing and other critical categories like clean-energy production in order to deliver affordability across the State.  

Mayor Ramos-Herbert was joined by Mayor Justin C. Brasch of White Plains, Mayor Chance Mullen of the Village of Pelham, Mayor Vivian McKenzie of Peekskill, and Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard of Mount Vernon, all of whom underscored their commitment to increasing housing affordability for their communities and supporting a strengthened, thriving future for their municipalities. The mayors urged the need for SEQRA modernization to remove unnecessary delays for projects that have been proven to have no significant environmental impact, enabling municipalities across the state from urban hubs to rural towns to deliver efficiently while minimizing taxpayer cost.

“In New Rochelle, we’ve spent the last decade realizing our vision for this city and community: that is, a city where longtime families can stay, build a life for themselves and their families, and access spaces that inspire,” said New Rochelle Mayor Yadira Ramos-Herbert. “To accomplish this vision, we led with our New Rochelle Model, which streamlines approvals, offers targeted incentives, and outlines a form-based code that expedites projects, all to deliver tangible impact. However, we cannot do this work alone. For far too long, electeds have been committed and eager to deliver the changes that drastically improve lives, but are held back by unnecessary bureaucracy and slow restrictions. With the Governor’s proposal for a modernized SEQRA, we’re cutting that red tape so we can deliver the housing New Yorkers need” 

Earlier this year, the Governor unveiled 

SEQRA reform as a critical piece of her “Let Them Build” agenda, focused on expediting categories of projects that do not have adverse environmental impacts, including infill housing, transit-oriented development, and green-

infrastructure projects.  

As part of the day’s convening, Mayor Ramos-Herbert pointed to New Rochelle’s streamlined housing processes as a model of success. Over the past decade, the City has greenlit more 11,000 new housing units—a 37 percent increase in its apartment stock from a decade prior—helping to stabilize rent prices. Mayor 

Ramos-Herbert noted this progress demonstrates what is possible when municipalities are empowered to provide for their communities instead of spending resources on unnecessary, lengthy procedures. 

“When SEQRA was first created, it was done for all the right reasons,” said Pelham Mayor Chance Mullen. “Government should always be thoughtful, and careful to avoid causing harm. The environment should be protected. Impact should be mitigated. Progress must be planned. Over the years, though, what began as a framework for protecting people from harm has often become a framework for protecting the status quo. In far too many cases, SEQRA has become a defensive and duplicative exercise, where even public projects that are obviously positive get subjected to unnecessary costs and delays that ultimately get passed on to all of us as consumers and taxpayers. Reform is essential to meeting the needs of the people we serve, and we cannot continue to protect the status quo. I commend Governor Hochul for pursuing smart reforms.”

The Governor’s proposal is currently under consideration as part of ongoing state budget negotiations. While the Executive Budget includes a broad framework for SEQRA modernization, the recent 2026 One-House Budget Resolution has applied narrower criteria and additional procedural requirements that stands in contrast to Governor Hochul’s version. Local leaders are urging state lawmakers to adopt a more comprehensive version to ensure communities across New York can benefit from reduced cost and thoughtful growth as those in New Rochelle have. 

https://ny-newrochelle2.civicplus.com/298/Development.