Gov. Kathy Hochul is drawing together an unlikely coalition in her bid to streamline the environmental review process most multi-unit housing projects have to go through.

Her allies include Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the Real Estate Board of New York and environmentalists.

“If there’s a failure of ambition to build more housing, or there [are] too many barriers in the way, then you do not have the opportunities that you would otherwise have,” Hochul said Thursday during an event on Long Island, touting her budget proposals.

It’s rare when developers and environmentalists agree, but when it comes to Hochul’s plan to reform the State Environmental Quality Review Act, they’re on the same page.

“We can do both. We can build more housing, and we can protect the environment,” Elizabeth Moran, a policy advocate at Earthjustice, said.

“We want housing development to happen in downtowns where it’s good for local businesses, in areas where people are more likely to be able to have active, walkable lifestyles,” Kate Slevin, the executive vice president of Regional Plan Association, added.

But if Hochul gets her way, apartment buildings, bike lanes and even child care sites could be completed faster, cheaper and in more jurisdictions statewide.

She argues that more housing is key to her affordability plan.

“We’re talking about here modestly sized, multi-unit housing, up to 500 units in the city on the governor’s proposal, up to 100 units outside the city, and this is not in green, field sites previously disturbed or developed sites,” Andrew Rein, the president at the watchdog group Citizens Budget Commission, said.

He also shared data with NY1, arguing reforms could save builders over $80,000 per unit within the five boroughs.

After a developer clears local zoning requirements — and if construction is cited on “previously disturbed” land like an old strip mall or vacant lot — a developer could expedite or bypass what’s known as the “SEQRA” process altogether.

“It provides more reliable timelines. We’ve heard of projects that just keep going back and forth with local planning boards, local jurisdictions as a way to stop projects from advancing,” Slevin said.

“Everyone deserves a quick decision [on] a project,” she added.

According to sources, differences in negotiations could change the outcome.

Although the state Senate’s proposal allows for a higher number of housing units compared to Hochul’s — 1,000 within the five boroughs or 500 outside the city — Rein said it limits building to fewer areas around the state and also restricts the creation of nonhousing projects.

“They do put some more requirements, environmental requirements and locational requirements, which would reduce the amount of housing and reduce the places that it could be developed. We think those should be left aside because of the need for housing everywhere,” he told NY1.

A review of the state Assembly’s current draft plan obtained by NY1 not only restricts where housing can be created but also includes new prevailing wage standards and doesn’t make any of the changes permanent, creating a 2029 expiration date.

“The Assembly’s proposal would just require too much and essentially too many new restrictions and essentially make housing more expensive, not less, whereas the governor and the Senate’s proposals are really looking at speeding projects up, ensuring that those projects are in the right place,” Slevin said.

When asked where the governor stands on the legislature’s counterproposals, a source familiar with the negotiations told NY1, Hochul wants “the broadest possible package to make it easier and more affordable to build.”

Still, environmentalists say they still need stricter definitions to protect land and future tenants.

“Environmental review is really important to take place where development might occur on lands near formerly contaminated areas, for example, or currently contaminated areas. Let’s say there’s interest in developing where there was once a gas station,” Moran said.

Rein said the changes should be made in the state budget.

“We have a 1.4 vacancy, percent vacancy rate in the city. What’s at risk is [that] we continue this problem of a supply shortage, increasing rents, unaffordable housing,” he said.