The Yonkers Legislation and Codes Committee spent substantial time on June 25 considering a local law that would waive the vacant building registration fee for owners with an active building permit.

Proponents said the change helps owners who are actively working to make vacant properties habitable. Opponents and administration officials warned it could incentivize owners to leave buildings unfinished for years and reduce pressure to complete projects.

Nut graf: The committee heard that the city already has limited waiver mechanisms, and members proposed adding time limits or escalating fees for long‑running projects as potential compromises.

Commissioner Givens and corporation counsel Matt Gallagher represented the administration at the meeting. ‘‘To waive the vacant building registry fee…may result in projects being dragged out for years and years and years when they should be completed within one year,’’ the administration said, explaining the primary concern.

Minority Leader Mike Breen described repeated examples in neighborhoods of half‑finished houses that remained vacant for years and questioned whether the proposed change would reduce the incentive to finish work. Council member Corazon Pineda Isaac said the proposal stemmed from a constituent who had an active permit and sought relief while completing work.

Staff explained the current code already allows the building commissioner to waive the vacant‑building fee twice: an initial six‑month exemption when an active permit is in place and a second exemption granted on written request. Committee members suggested possible edits to limit the waiver to a fixed timeframe (for example, one to eighteen months) or to stagger the vacant‑building fee so it increases over successive years to discourage prolonged incompletion.

Discussion ended with the committee asking staff in law and buildings to return with recommended language and timelines; the item remained in committee for revision and further consideration.

Ending: Committee members directed staff to propose edits (time limits or fee escalations) and will revisit the item in a future meeting.