Study: New Jersey Surrounds Transit Stations With Single-Family Housing

According to an article by Tanya Snyder, "too many of New Jersey’s transit stations are surrounded by single-family housing, severely limiting the number of people — especially low-income people — with convenient, walkable access to transit. Some entire transit lines are out of reach for people of modest means."

That conclusion arises from the research of New Jersey Future, which recently produced a report titled "Off Track? An Assessment of Mixed-Income Housing Around New Jersey’s Transit Stations" that examines "the neighborhoods around all 244 of the state’s rail transit stations, commuter ferry docks, and major bus terminals to get a sense of whether transit access is equitably distributed among residents." 

The report finds that percentages of single-family detached housing surpassed statewide averages at 109 of the 244 stations. Snyder's conclusion based on those facts: "New Jersey’s transit abundance is going to waste…" The waste is also noteworthy, according to Snyder, in light of the state's trouble conforming with the affordable housing mandates.