NY S03492

Exempts qualifying affordable housing projects from State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) based on size thresholds: under 10 units in municipalities without zoning, under 50 units not connected to public water/sewer, under 200 units in areas with population 90,000 or less, under 500 units in areas 90,000-1 million, and under 1,000 units in cities over 1 million

Requires exempt projects to be located on previously disturbed land in urbanized areas or urban clusters, qualify as affordable housing, and meet green building standards such as LEED Gold certification, Passive House certification, or fossil fuel-free building requirements

Prohibits exemptions for projects in flood hazard areas, sea level rise zones projected through 2100, critical environmental areas, or on contaminated sites without proper remediation plans

Limits environmental review for non-exempt affordable housing projects by excluding "non-core" concerns from review, including shadows, view impacts, neighborhood character, and school system impacts (except in disadvantaged communities)

Requires local agencies to determine exemption status within 60 days, with applicants able to appeal to the Division of Housing and Community Renewal if no decision is made within that timeframe