Working for Smart Growth:
More Livable Places and Open Spaces

 

Author Archive

Ensuring Equity in Transit-Oriented Development

Friday, June 25th, 2021

State leaders are embracing the concept of transit-oriented development (TOD), which encourages residential and commercial development to locate within walking distance of public transit stations, enabling residents to complete some or all of their trips without a car. The private sector also recognizes the demand for housing in transit-accessible towns. But with transit-adjacent neighborhoods being a limited commodity, how do we make sure the option of living near transit is available to everyone? The Ensuring Equity in Transit-Oriented Development session examined population patterns with respect to race and income around New Jersey’s transit stations.

Two Homes, One Roof: Making NJ More Welcoming with ADUs

Friday, June 25th, 2021

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are an often overlooked and underutilized solution to the affordable housing shortage we face in New Jersey and across the Northeast. At the 2021 New Jersey Planning & Redevelopment Conference, a session entitled Two Homes, One Roof: Making NJ More Welcoming with ADUs discussed the importance of ADUs and their potential as a strategy for increasing the state’s housing options.

Incorporating Climate Change: It’s the Law

Thursday, June 24th, 2021

The science is clear: climate change is here, and its threats are only going to grow more pronounced. But, carefully coordinated efforts can simultaneously protect New Jerseyans from these threats and spur economic activity, making our state that much stronger. That was the message from four senior-level officials from Governor Murphy’s administration at the 2021 Planning and Redevelopment Conference, hosted by New Jersey Future and the NJ Chapter of the American Planning Association.

Tracking Progress on Environmental Justice

Tuesday, June 15th, 2021

One of the first situations in which New Jersey’s resolve for advancing environmental justice will be tested is in the spending of proceeds from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) program. Participating states are required to use the proceeds from CO2 allowance auctions for programs that are designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the use of clean energy sources, but it is up to each state to decide exactly where (geographically) this money will be spent.

Hoboken’s Focus on Vision Zero Makes Streets Safe for Everyone

Thursday, May 6th, 2021

Hoboken’s laudable achievement is the result of a deliberate and sustained effort, the centerpiece of which is the redesign of a 16-block stretch of Washington Street, the city’s main commercial thoroughfare.

Single-Family Zoning: An Idea Whose Time Has Passed?

Monday, April 12th, 2021

New Jersey should follow Oregon’s and California’s lead and take advantage of the growing national momentum toward zoning reform, to at least begin a discussion about how such reforms might work in New Jersey.

School District Consolidation Is More Than Just a Cost-Saving Measure

Monday, April 12th, 2021

Regionalizing school districts could also help increase housing options and make New Jersey a less segregated state.

Can the Reduction in Travel Prompted by COVID-19 Be Sustained?

Monday, March 15th, 2021

When people drive less, greenhouse gas emissions go down. There are many ways to help people drive less—working from home is one of them, but we can also reduce the need to travel by car by building things closer together, reducing the distances between people’s desired destinations.

Warehouse Sprawl: Plan Now or Suffer the Consequences

Monday, March 15th, 2021

The warehouse development that has been steadily spreading south into farm fields along the New Jersey Turnpike might be a preview of things to come if we fail to plan for the growth in the movement and storage of stuff.

Where Do New Jersey’s Property Tax Bills Hit the Hardest?

Monday, February 15th, 2021

Recently-released property tax data from the Department of Community Affairs have reminded us once again that New Jerseyans pay a lot in property taxes. Indeed, New Jersey residents pay the highest property tax bills in the country.

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