Co-Ops & Condos United of New York applauds changes to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act

Manhattan, NY Co-ops & Condos United of New York (CCU), a coalition of co-op and condo owners from across the five boroughs that represents the interests of the more than one million New York homeowners who live in this type of housing, applauds the recently passed changes to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), as part of the FY 2027 budget. The changes implement practical, common-sense reforms that reflect current technological and economic realities, easing the burden on homeowners while still upholding the state’s long term environmental goals.

“On behalf of the over one million New Yorkers who call co-ops and condos their homes, we want to thank Governor Hochul for her tireless leadership on this issue and the legislature for implementing necessary reforms to the CLCPA,” said Jane Menton, legislative director of Co-ops & Condos United NY. “Our coalition worked tirelessly to educate lawmakers regarding the practical challenges facing residential communities throughout New York. We appreciate that the Legislature and Governor recognized the need for a more rational and achievable framework moving forward, and we look forward to working with them to develop that framework in the months and years ahead.”

These changes follow a strong advocacy campaign led by CCU, together with a broad coalition of cooperative and condominium advocacy organizations, housing leaders, and cooperative corporations throughout New York State. CCU submitted a memo to the New York State Legislature in support of the Governor’s proposed reforms that outlined the harmful impacts of the policy on co-op and condo homeowners. These impacts include financial distress for buildings, reduced property values, deferred maintenance, and, ultimately, displacement of the very communities the law seeks to protect. This memo was used in part by Governor Hochul to demonstrate to lawmakers the impact CLCPA would have on homeowners, serving as an important piece of evidence in the campaign for reform. 

Additionally, CCU worked directly with state officials and legislative representatives to communicate the extraordinary financial and operational impact that the original CLCPA timelines would have imposed upon cooperative and condominium housing communities.

“This legislation represents a significant victory for the cooperative and condominium community, and we are grateful to Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for their efforts on behalf of the co-op and condo owner community,” said Geoffrey Mazel, executive committee member of Co-ops & Condos United NY. For years, we have warned that the prior timelines were unrealistic and would have imposed devastating costs upon middle-class homeowners throughout the City of New York. We look forward to continuing our advocacy to ensure that Local Law 97 is revised in a fair and equitable manner consistent with these statewide reforms.”

The reforms carry special significance for the co-op and condominium community as these buildings are facing the most challenges complying with New York City’s building decarbonization mandates. The recognition that the State will not deliver adequate clean electricity to New York City on the timeframe required by the City’s mandates shows that the City’s framework is increasingly incompatible with the realities of the state’s energy and emission makeup. Co-ops & Condos United NY will continue to strongly advocate for fairness, equity, and realistic implementation schedules so that cooperative and condominium homeowners are not unfairly burdened with excessive costs and penalties.