Cities and Towns
Smart growth means taking advantage of infrastructure that already exists, capitalizing on the streets and sidewalks, the water pipes and sewer systems, the central business districts, the residential neighborhoods, the parks and recreational facilities that give established cities and towns their distinct identities and attractions.
Directing future investment to these centers, both large and small, will ensure that we use our land most efficiently and effectively, preserve the surrounding open space and halt the spread of suburban sprawl. Revitalizing our urban areas through redevelopment, and enhancing our towns by preserving community character, design and historic features, and creating walkable spaces, a vibrant mix of uses and a range of housing options, will make New Jersey a truly sustainable state..
Even as population growth has moved back to compact, walkable places since 2008, job growth initially continued to occur in low-density suburban locations. The latest numbers from the state Department of Labor show that, starting in 2014, that trend has reversed.
New census county population estimates show older urban areas are continuing to revitalize. Some growth is even returning to New Jersey’s exurban areas.
A group of 18 mayors and organizations concerned with how New Jersey grows and develops has sent a letter to Gov. Murphy urging him to renew focus on the State Plan.
New Jersey Future applauds the Legislature’s Jan. 31, 2019, passage of the Clean Stormwater, Flood Reduction Act, and encourages the governor to sign it.
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority is now taking applications for its 21st Century Redevelopment Program, which targets the challenge of redeveloping abandoned or underutilized suburban office parks and shopping malls.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Trenton are preparing to present their plans to restore the Assunpink Creek at a Sept. 15 meeting.
How can New Jersey turn this urban water infrastructure crisis into an opportunity for long-term prosperity. August 2014.
This report and related case studies summarize the state of urban water infrastructure in New Jersey and how it affects residents and businesses. May 2014.
Strong Towns’ Chuck Marohn will visit Hackensack April 13, 2016, to deliver a presentation on ways to invest for community resiliency and prosperity.
This report and related case studies summarize the state of urban water infrastructure in New Jersey and how it affects residents and businesses. May 2014.
See all Future Facts and Articles in this category »
Reports, Presentations and Testimony
- NJM May 2019 stormwater utlities Van Abs
- 03/07/2019: Testimony on S1742, S1768 and S1774
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Phase 2 Report 5-22-18
- 02/14/2019: Testimony on A2697-S1783
- New Jersey Future Aging-Friendly Communities Initiative report Westwood 7-16-18
- New Jersey Future Aging-Friendly Communities Initiative report Teaneck 2-5-19
- New Jersey Future Aging-Friendly Communities Initiative report Somerdale 1-31-19
- Trenton Transit Center Strategic Action Blueprint July 2018
- APA Conference Places To Age Best Practices
- New Jersey Future Demographic Trends by Age September 2017
- Jersey Water Works Water Infrastructre Funding Report 06-2017 (Intern Report)
- Oxford Byway to Destination NJM June 2017
- New-Jersey-Future-Assessment-of-the-NJLIHTC-program
- New Jersey Future 2017 Gubernatorial Platform
- Strategic Recovery Planning Report Maurice River 05-2015
- Strategic Recovery Planning Report Commercial 12-2015
- 2013 Facing Our Future Report - Infrastructure Investments Necessary for Economic Success - Links to Water Infrastructure Resources
- League of Municipalities Article on Aging in Community April 2016
- New Jersey Future report to NJDEP re Liberty State Park 02-04-15
- Final Jersey City to Proacitvely Test Water Supply Press Release %282%29
- New Jersey Future Housing Affordability and Aging-Friendly Communities
- Housing Affordability and Aging-Friendly Communities Housing Cost-Burden Municipal Data by Municipality
- Housing Affordability and Aging-Friendly Communities Housing Cost-Burden Municipal Data by Cost Burden Rank
- fiscal-implications-roads-in-new-jersey
- NJFuture-In-Deep-10-15-WEB
- 2013 Facing Our Future Report - Infrastructure Investments Necessary for Economic Success
- Can We Depend on Our Water Infrastructure?
- 2014-11-18_Trenton Green Infrastructure Feasibility Study.compressed
- Economic-Opportunity-Act-and-Smart-Growth-Progress-Report
- Trenton_Meeting_Summary_FINAL
- New Jersey Future Stormwater Utilities Report 9-14 (Intern Report)
- 09/11/2014: Testimony supporting stormwater utilities bill A1583
- Roxanne Qualls presentation on Cincinnati
- Agenda for Change
- Case Study: Paterson
- Case Study: Jersey City
- Case Study: Hoboken
- Case Study: Camden
- Ripple Effects
- Van Abs: Water Infrastructure in New Jersey's CSO Cities
- Creating Great Places To Age in New Jersey
- Creating Places To Age in New Jersey Municipal Best Practices
- Creating Places To Age in New Jersey municipal data
- Creating Places To Age Bergen-Passaic Supplement
- NJFuture Cluster Presentation I Open for Municipalities
- 04/29/2013: Sandy Recovery Action Plan Doesn't Commit to Resiliency Planning, Sustainability
- 04/25/2013: A3680 Economic Opportunity Act
- 03/19/2013: New Jersey Future CDBG-DR comments
- 03/11/2013: Focus Economic Investments Strategically and Avoid Subsidizing Sprawl
- 03/08/2013: Joint statement on A3680 S2583 Economic Opportunity Act
- How Clustering Works
- Clustering-Factsheet_11_5_2013
- Cluster-Development-Act-summary-of-key-provisions-10-13
- Statutory and Regulatory Barriers to Green Infrastructure in New Jersey 1-13 (Intern Report)
- Somerset County Investment Framework 1-13 (Intern Report)
- Targeting Transit -- New Jersey Future
- Innovation Districts as Economic Growth Strategy 9-12 (Intern Report)
- Wastewater Planning County Fact Sheets
- 03/31/2011: Letter Supporting Vertical GDP Bill after Conditional Veto
- 12/10/2010: Testimony Supporting Vertical GDP and Mixed Use Transit Hubs
- Case Studies of Non-Contiguous Clustering in New Jersey 04-12
- 04/02/2012: NJFuture Comments to State Planning Commission on Draft State Strategic Plan
- Leinberger in the League Magazin
- 01/17/2012: Reaction to State of the State Address
- 11/30/2011: Coalition Statement on Grow NJ Bill
- 11/21/2011: A4128, the "Adaptive Approval" bill
- Financial Benefits of Density in Two New Jersey Downtowns 7-11 (Intern report)
- 11/11/2011: Statement: On S2950 A4128, the Adaptive Approval bill
- 10/18/2011: Comments: Proposed Amendments to BPU Main Extension Rules
- Route 1 Planning Through Partnerships
- Transit-Oriented Development Workshop for HCDNNJ memb mtg 06-15-2011
- 05/07/2009 Testimony on Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit Act
- 12/14/2010: Testimony on Historic Property Reinvestment Act
- Transfer of Development Rights Task Force Report 08-11-10
- Municipal Resource Conservation Assessment 06-01
- Case Study Hopewell Township 08-00
- Presentation: Land Preservation Using Off-site Clustering 03-19-11
- Impact Fees 01-04
- Historic Preservation 03-05
- Climate Change and Land Use 10-08
- Brownfields Redevelopment 01-08
- A Citizen's Guide to Transit-Oriented Development
- Chasing Their Tails: Municipal Ratables Chase Doesn't Necessarily Pay 07-10
- Race to the Middle: The Homogenization of New Jersey's Population Density
- Moving Out: New Jersey's Population Growth and Migration Patterns
- Realistic Opportunity? The Distribution of Affordable Housing and Jobs in New Jersey
- Getting to Work 11-08
- Built Out Permit Activity 12-10
- Built Out 12-10
