A law requiring New Jersey towns to ensure 10 percent of new units are affordable now awaits a vote by the State Assembly.
Towns would also have the option of dedicating 20 percent of new development to residents earning up to 150 percent of the regional median income. Residential developers looking to avoid the quota could pay a penalty equal to 3.5 percent of development costs, which the town must then use towards future affordable housing projects. The law would also abolish the state Council on Affordable Housing.
Governor Chris Christie has vowed to veto the legislation if it passes, taking issue with another fee targeting commercial developers, writes Matt Friedman:
"While Christie supports abolishing the council, he opposes the bill's 2.5 percent fee on commercial development to help pay for affordable housing. The bill temporarily does away with the fee - which is currently in effect because a moratorium on it expired in July - but phases it back over the course of five years."
FULL STORY: N.J. Assembly committee advances bill abolishing Council on Affordable Housing
Two Simple Sentences Could Reshape Suburban America
A seemingly innocuous sentence embedded in almost every subdivision ordinance across the United States has disconnected neighborhoods and made cities unwalkable. Two sentences could change that.
Downtown L.A. Sees Vacancies Rise and Homeless Populations Grow
There's plenty of housing available in Downtown L.A. for the wealthy but, while those apartments sit empty, many looking for housing find costs too high to pay.
A Relentless D.C. Zoning Activist
Chris Otten says change doesn't come from "being nice to decision makers," so he's comfortable being confrontational with developers and City Council members he sees as taking advantage of the poor.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
Fair Housing Cannot Take a Back Seat to ‘Build, Baby, Build’
If we overlook fair housing principles in the plan to build US housing back better, we risk ending up right back where we started.
LA Metro Board Approves New 710 Freeway Plan
The newest plan for the 710 corridor claims it will not displace any residents.
Austin’s Proposed EV Charging Rules Regulate Station Locations, Size
City planners say the new rules would ensure an efficient distribution of charging infrastructure across the city and prevent an overconcentration in residential areas.
Making California State Parks More Climate-Resilient
A recently released report offers recommendations for keeping state parks healthy and robust, including acquiring additional land for conservation and recreation.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
