The 2026 Legislative Agenda of the Building & Realty Institute (BRI) of the Hudson Valley was formally unveiled during the organization’s Legislative Breakfast held at Mulino’s at Lake Isle at the Lake Isle County Club in Eastchester.
The Legislative Agenda has four main goals to be accomplished, largely through legislation BRI wants to see passed by the State Legislature in Albany.
The first goal is to remove local barriers to building needed housing and change that the organization sees as outdated policies that make it more expensive and inefficient to build in New York state.
The second goal would be stabilizing the multifamily residential market and improving the ability to restore old, inadequate, or out-of-date housing.
Third would be to keep nonprofit housing cooperatives affordable for first-time homeowners, downsizing seniors, and others by avoiding layering on additional costs.
The fourth goal involves increasing affordability by addressing surging insurance and utility costs and promoting first-time home ownership.
Among the members of Westchester’s legislative delegation attending were Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, State Sen. Shelley Mayer, State Sen. James Skoufis, and Assemblymembers Amy Paulin, Matt Slater, Chris Burdick, Dana Levenberg, and Steve Otis. Also attending was Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins.
“The BRI’s Legislative Breakfast provides a backdrop for policymakers and the housing industry to have important discussions about the on-the-ground realities that most affect builders and those who own or operate existing multifamily. These discussions are a real opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss practical solutions,” said Tim Foley, CEO of the BRI. “Housing challenges affect every community in our region, and conversations like this help ensure that lawmakers hear directly from the people working on the front lines of housing. BRI members have spent 80 years building the future of Westchester, and we’re grateful for the ongoing conversation about how we can keep moving forward.”
One area that attracted attention was the possibility of changes to streamline review requirements for new projects under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed removing some of the red tape that has slowed down the review of various projects and added to development costs. The legislators expressed optimism that a balanced approach could be reached that protects environmental standards while allowing responsible housing development to move forward more efficiently.
Another issue raised at the event was reconvening the temporary commission established to evaluate the impacts of the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (HSTPA). Stewart-Cousins indicated she would look into the possibility of convening a temporary commission of stakeholders, which the law calls for, to evaluate how the law has affected housing supply, building conditions, and tenants across the state.
Another issue that came under discussion was the impact of rising energy costs on housing providers and residents. It was noted that increasing electricity and utility expenses continue to put pressure on operating budgets for multifamily housing and contribute to broader affordability challenges across the region.
The BRI has more than 1,000 members throughout Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam. It bills itself as the largest independent trade association serving the building and real estate industry in Westchester County and throughout the Hudson Valley area.
