Land Use Law Center

05/23/2026

Reframing Affordability: A Huge Success at the 9th Annual Hudson Valley Affordable Housing Summit!

That’s a wrap! This week, municipal leaders, planners, legal experts, and housing advocates gathered for a powerful half-day of collaboration, insights, and actionable strategies focused on creating a more inclusive affordable housing agenda for the Hudson Valley .

Presented by the Land Use Law Center and the Housing Action Council, this year’s summit equipped our communities with the tools needed to turn housing goals into real, sustainable projects.

Key Highlights & Takeaways:
• Innovative Zoning & Legacy Updates: We kicked off with a beautiful tribute honoring the legacy of Rose Noonan , followed by an inspiring session with Donald L. Elliott, Esq., on best practices for zoning production and preservation .
• Leveraging Municipal Land: Panelists Wade Beltramo, Natalie Quinn, and Bartek Starodaj dove deep into how municipalities can use public-private partnerships, land banks, and quasi-public entities to strategically advance housing goals .
• Closing the Housing Gap: From deeply affordable housing to missing middle options and workforce homeownership, an expert panel explored the exact tools and strategies required to identify and fix local housing gaps .
• Unlocking Development via SEQRA Reform: We unpacked the upcoming New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) updates with Michael Gerrard, Tony Gonçalves, Kate Slevin, and moderator Michael N. Romita to explore how streamlined approvals can accelerate affordable housing production .
• A Vision for the Future: We wrapped up an incredible day with inspiring closing remarks from RuthAnne Visnauskas, Commissioner and CEO of NYS Homes and Community Renewal .

Thank you to all of our incredible speakers, organizers, and attendees who brought their expertise and passion to the table . Together, we are building the framework for equitable, sustainable, and inclusive housing solutions across our region.

A huge thank you to the Gordon/Noonan family and the Housing Action Council for the Rose Noonan Student Scholarship.
Thank you to our sponsors for their continued support of our events.

📸 Check out some moments from the day below!

05/07/2026

Great day talking about flooding and resilience and the tools in a municipality’s toolbox. This group is reviewing their municipal maps and figuring out their vulnerability areas to decide where to protect and where to develop. Thank you to Hudson River Watershed Alliance, New York Sea Grant and The Nature Conservancy for their support of this training program.

04/29/2026

Today marked the 80th conducted Land Use Leadership Alliance Training Program (LULA). For 30 years, the program has covered a variety of land use topics of importance, including the most recent LULA on the topic of clean energy supported by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

The program might be a little different then when it first started in 1996 as the Community Leadership Alliance, but the message is still the same…we are “building communities, one conversation at a time.”

Thank you to John Nolon for being the brainchild behind this amazing program, to Tiffany Eisberg Zezula and Jessica Bacher for continuing the training for close to 23 years and to Ann Marie McCoy for making it all happen behind the scenes.

Finally, a thank you to all the financial sponsors and supporters of the program through the years. And a big thank you to the 3200 graduates of this special program!!

04/25/2026

REGISTER TODAY!

Join us for the 9th Annual Hudson Valley Affordable Housing Summit on May 20th! This year, we’re diving deep into "Reframing Affordability" to build a more inclusive agenda for our region.

From innovative zoning and land banks to streamlining the SEQRA process, we’re bringing together the best minds in planning, law, and advocacy to turn ideas into actionable strategies.

When: May 20, 2026 | 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Where: Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, White Plains, NY

Earn CLE and Local Board Credits!

Register or Sponsor here: https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1655/bp20/interior.aspx?sid=1655&gid=2&pgid=4537&cid=10653

Full Agenda: https://www.pace.edu/law/centers-and-institutes/land-use-law-center/events/9th-annual-hudson-valley-affordable-housing

04/02/2026

Long Island Sound Watershed Intermunicipal Council relaunches

“It was all made possible with support from the Land Use Law Center and New York Sea Grant.”

https://westchester.news12.com/2026/04/01/long-island-sound-watershed-intermunicipal-council-relaunches/63zJ62EZ3s8Od5dS3KlXxY

03/19/2026

Join us for the 9th Annual Hudson Valley Affordable Housing Summit on May 20th! This year, we’re diving deep into "Reframing Affordability" to build a more inclusive agenda for our region.

From innovative zoning and land banks to streamlining the SEQRA process, we’re bringing together the best minds in planning, law, and advocacy to turn ideas into actionable strategies.

When: May 20, 2026 | 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Where: Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, White Plains, NY

Earn CLE and Local Board Credits!

Register or Sponsor here: https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1655/bp20/interior.aspx?sid=1655&gid=2&pgid=4537&cid=10653

Full Agenda: https://www.pace.edu/law/centers-and-institutes/land-use-law-center/events/9th-annual-hudson-valley-affordable-housing

01/05/2026

Professor John Nolon was recently featured on the podcast Booked on Planning, a show cohosted by Stephanie Rouse and Jennifer Hiatt that explores the books and literature shaping our understanding of cities and planning through conversations with their authors.

In this episode, Professor Nolon discusses his book Choosing to Succeed: Land Use Law & Climate Control and unpacks the “land use wedge,” a powerful framework showing how cities and towns can influence up to 75% of CO₂ emissions through buildings, transportation, sequestration, distributed energy, and renewables. Listeners will learn why land use planning still matters, explore practical tools for building climate-resilient communities, and hear real-world case studies, along with a discussion of the Climate Resilient Development Workshop Series and framework, a student-led initiative developed at Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University under Professor Nolon. Listen to the episode here:

Listen to a new episode every two weeks where we talk with the authors of planning and urban design books about transportation, design, sustainability, energy, and more.

12/18/2025

Shaping the Future of Sustainable Communities! 🌍🌱

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University recently hosted the 24th Annual Alfred B. DelBello Land Use and Sustainable Development Conference. Leaders, policymakers, and scholars gathered to tackle the biggest challenges in land use and environmental protection.

Congratulations to our 2025 Award Winners: 🏆 Founder’s Award: Mayor Thomas M. Roach (City of White Plains) 🏆 Groundbreaker’s Award: Catherine F. Parker (Westchester County Board of Legislators) 🏆 Distinguished Young Attorney: Maximillian R. Mahalek, Esq. 🏆 Student Achievement Award: Emily A. Petermann

We also celebrated the incredible 25-year legacy of Tom Bourgeois as he moves into retirement. Thank you, Tom, for your dedication to energy efficiency and resilient infrastructure!

A huge thank you to our sponsors and keynote speakers, Shelley Poticha and Arthur C. Nelson, for making this year such a success. Let’s keep building more livable, sustainable communities together!

Let's not forget all the generous people that donated to Toys for Tots. Thank you for your generosity. ❤️

12/02/2025

Distinguished Professor Emeritus, John R. Nolon, was quoted in the New York Times regarding the juxtaposition of the jobs provided by the cannabis industry, the withdrawal of FEMA flood control funds, and the use of fines assessed by the Office of Cannabis Management to prevent flood damage and spur urban revitalization.

Sidney, N.Y., in the Catskill Mountains, hoped to attract job-creating businesses. But there was some unease when the recreational cannabis company Stiiizy moved in.

10/08/2025

REGISTER OR SPONSOR TODAY!

The 24th annual Alfred B. DelBello Land Use and Sustainable Development Conference is set for December 4-5. This year, we're exploring "Fostering the Development of Sustainable Communities through Innovative Strategies."

Join us to learn about innovative best practices and connect with leaders in the field. Don't miss the Founders Award Reception on Thursday, December 4th!
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Sponsorship Opportunities

Want to highlight your firm or company and network with other leaders? We have several sponsorship opportunities available that provide an excellent way to showcase your organization's services.

Find all the details on sponsorship and register for the conference by going to http://alumni.pace.edu/LULC-25.