Call to Action Sample Email Message RE: SEQRA Reform
I am a member of the Capital Region Builders & Remodelers Association (CRBRA) and work in the housing industry here in the Capital Region.
[Add 1–2 sentences here about your experience. See examples below.]
I support thoughtful modernization of the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). This is not about removing environmental protections. It is about improving a process that has become unpredictable, duplicative, and often causes unnecessary delays.
In practice, SEQRA can add months or even years to project timelines due to unclear standards, overlapping reviews, and litigation risk unrelated to environmental outcomes. These delays increase costs, introduce uncertainty and, in some cases, prevent appropriate projects from being built.
At the same time, demand for housing in the Capital Region remains strong across all price points. However, numerous projects affected by SEQRA delays are modest in scale but would meaningfully expand local housing supply and improve affordability.
New York already has extensive environmental, land-use, and building regulations in place. Sensible SEQRA reform would not remove these protections, it would help avoid unnecessary duplication while preserving meaningful environmental review.
CRBRA would welcome the opportunity to serve as a resource and share practical, on-the-ground insight into how SEQRA impacts housing delivery in our region. I hope you will support balanced reforms that improve predictability and timelines while maintaining strong environmental standards.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
[Add 1–2 sentences here about your experience. See examples below.]
I support thoughtful modernization of the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). This is not about removing environmental protections. It is about improving a process that has become unpredictable, duplicative, and often causes unnecessary delays.
In practice, SEQRA can add months or even years to project timelines due to unclear standards, overlapping reviews, and litigation risk unrelated to environmental outcomes. These delays increase costs, introduce uncertainty and, in some cases, prevent appropriate projects from being built.
At the same time, demand for housing in the Capital Region remains strong across all price points. However, numerous projects affected by SEQRA delays are modest in scale but would meaningfully expand local housing supply and improve affordability.
New York already has extensive environmental, land-use, and building regulations in place. Sensible SEQRA reform would not remove these protections, it would help avoid unnecessary duplication while preserving meaningful environmental review.
CRBRA would welcome the opportunity to serve as a resource and share practical, on-the-ground insight into how SEQRA impacts housing delivery in our region. I hope you will support balanced reforms that improve predictability and timelines while maintaining strong environmental standards.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Optional: Use One of These Examples
If you are not sure what to write to personalize it, you can copy one of these into your message:
If you are not sure what to write to personalize it, you can copy one of these into your message:
- Builder/Developer
I have worked in residential construction for many years and have been directly involved in planning, permitting, and delivering new housing across our region. I see firsthand how regulatory timelines affect whether projects move forward. - Small-Scale Focus
Much of my work involves smaller residential developments and infill projects—exactly the type of housing many communities say they want but that is increasingly difficult to deliver. - Associate/Economic Impact
My work supports new home construction and local jobs, tax base growth, and long-term community stability, all of which depend on a predictable and timely approval process.
