Philly mayor details HOME plan (right); NJ affordable obligation update; NJ affordable housing paradox; SEPTA approves TOD deal; Transit aids elder mental health (left top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
PENNSYLVANIA—Mayor Parker’s Best Housing Ideas
Jon Geeting, The Philadelphia Citizen | March 31, 2025
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker laid out details for her $2 billion H.O.M.E. plan to build 13,500 homes and preserve an additional 16,500 homes. The plan prioritizes housing near SEPTA stations, streamlines residential projects on city-owned land, and funds for mixed-income public development.
NJ TOD News
RIVERSIDE—Kokes Begins Construction on Final Phase of 190-Unit Multifamily Project in Riverside
Joshua Burd, Real Estate NJ | April 3, 2025
Kokes Properties has begun construction on phase two of The Mill at Riverside, a 64-unit apartment building that will join the 126 apartments completed in phase one. Located within walking distance of NJ TRANSIT’s Riverside Station on the River Line, phase two is expected to be completed by summer 2026.
What Do Trump’s Auto Tariffs Mean for New Jersey?
Raven Santana, NJ Spotlight News | April 3, 2025
President Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on imported vehicles—about half of all cars sold in the U.S.—are now in effect. In New Jersey, where the average new car costs $50,000, buyers could see price increases ranging from $3,000 to $12,000 per vehicle. Additional tariffs on imported auto parts, set to take effect in May, are expected to also increase repair costs.
JERSEY CITY—JLL Secures Financing for Jersey City Luxury High-Rise
Staff, ROI-NJ | April 1, 2025
JLL Capital Markets secured financing for Coles Street Apartments, a mixed-use development in Jersey City comprising 465 residential units and 8,142 sq. ft. of ground floor retail. The development is located within walking distance of 2nd Street Station on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and one-mile from Hoboken Terminal.
Some NJ Towns Can Build Less Affordable Housing Over the Next 10 Years
Mike Hayes, Gothamist | April 1, 2025
The New Jersey Courts have granted affordable housing obligation reductions to dozens of municipalities. All were granted obligations lower than the original DCA calculations, but more than what the towns sought. The next critical date is June 30, when municipalities must release plans for how they will add new housing.
WEEHAWKEN—Hartz Debuts 218-Unit Rental Project as Final Piece of Iconic Lincoln Harbor District in Weehawken
Joshua Burd, Real Estate NJ | April 1, 2025
Hartz Mountain Industries has unveiled The Reserve at Estuary, a 218-unit residential building in Weehawken’s Lincoln Harbor neighborhood. The project features an on-site NJ TRANSIT bus stop and is near Lincoln Harbor Station on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail. Initial move-ins are slated for mid-June.
Transit and Equity News
FLORIDA—Miami-Dade County Approves Its Largest Affordable Project
Staff, Affordable Housing Finance | April 2, 2025
The Miami-Dade County Commission approved plans for Little River District, a $3 billion, mixed development in Miami’s Little River and Little Haiti neighborhoods. The project will feature 5,700 units—including 2,284 affordable units at 60 percent AMI and 2,446 workforce units—significant retail space, and a new Tri-Rail train station.
MASSACHUSETTS—MassHousing Closes on $10.6 Million in Affordable Housing Financing for the Transit-Oriented Development in Chelsea
Staff, Boston Real Estate Times | April 1, 2025
MassHousing closed on $10.6 million in affordable housing financing to build 62 mixed-income units near Chelsea’s MBTA Commuter Rail station and five major bus routes. The development includes 9 units for households earning below 30 percent AMI, 29 units for below 60 percent AMI, 19 units for below 100 percent AMI, and the rest at market-rate.
NEW JERSEY—New Jersey’s Affordable Housing Paradox: Mandating More Units While Cutting Essential Funding
Christopher Pugliese, LinkedIn | March 20, 2025
Christopher Pugliese, Director of Housing Development at Affordable Housing Alliance, highlights a disconnect in New Jersey’s housing policy: while the state mandates more affordable units, its budget proposal diverts funds from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF). Without AHTF support, small-scale affordable projects may struggle, shifting development toward high-density market-rate projects with limited affordable set-asides.
Regional and National TOD News
PENNSYLVANIA—PATCO Commuters Experience the New Franklin Square Stop for the First Time
Julia Binswanger, BillyPenn at WHYY | April 4, 2025
PATCO reopened Franklin Square Station in Philadelphia after a 46-year closure, completing a $29.3 million renovation. The project added a new all-glass headhouse, elevators, escalators, and ramps. PATCO aims to boost ridership between Philadelphia and Camden and to support development in the Franklin Square area.
NEW YORK—New York City FC’s Etihad Park Anchors Historic Queens Transformation
William Kenworthey, Urban Land | April 2, 2025
The Willets Point redevelopment in Queens, now in Phase 2, will transform 23 acres of former industrial land into a $3 billion mixed-use community. The project includes 2,500 affordable homes, a 25,000-seat New York City FC stadium, and public spaces, with direct access to the Mets-Willets Point subway and LIRR stations. Completion is expected by 2030.
PENNSYLVANIA—SEPTA Approves a Transit-Oriented Development Deal in Conshohocken
Kristen Mosbrucken-Garza, WHYY | March 31, 2025
SEPTA approved a deal to lease agency-owned property next to the Conshohocken Rail Station for a transit-oriented development, shifting away from its original plans to build a parking garage. The project will include 300 apartments, retail space, and 354 parking spaces for residents and SEPTA riders. Through a 99-year lease, SEPTA will receive $300 million.
Stuck, Part II: Why Do People Move (Or Not Move)?
Alan Mallach, Planetizen | March 30, 2025
The decline in American mobility since 2000 stems from several factors, including the Great Recession, widening economic disparities between regions, and a persistent housing undersupply. According to Alan Mallach, senior fellow with the Center for Community Progress, these conditions have made it increasingly difficult for people to afford moves between regions or upgrade their housing within the same area.
One Place to Start in Delivering Solutions to a Divided and Distrustful Nation: The Hyperlocal Level
Tim Tompkins and Tracy Hadden Loh, Brookings | December 20, 2024
In a divided nation, hyperlocal, place-based partnerships offer a foundation for revitalizing communities and tackling shared challenges. By uniting public, private, and nonprofit sectors, these place-based partnerships can strengthen neighborhood quality of life and foster trust—progress that can scale up to influence broader societal change.
International TOD News
CANADA—Nearly 3,100 New Homes in 13 Towers Approved by Vancouver City Council
Kenneth Chan, Daily Hive | April 3, 2025
The Vancouver City Council has approved the construction of 3,097 homes across nine projects throughout the first quarter of 2025. All approved projects will be located within walking distance of an existing or future SkyTrain station, and 466 of the units will be designated as affordable housing.
JAPAN—Depression Risk Rises for Car-less Seniors Far from Public Transport
Rintaro Sakurai, The Asahi Shimbun | March 30, 2025
Researchers at Chiba University found that elderly people who do not use cars are 1.6 times more likely to develop depression if they live far from bus stops or train stations. The study, which surveyed 4,947 senior citizens across 25 Japanese cities and towns, identified factors such as reduced physical activity, like walking, and decreased social participation as contributing to the rise in depression.
VIETNAM—HCM City Moves Forward With Metro Expansion, Construction of 2nd Metro Starts in Dec
Staff, Vietnam News | March 30, 2025
Ho Chi Minh City’s People Committee unveiled an implementation plan to accelerate the city’s urban rail network. The plan aims to complete 220 miles of metro lines over the next decade, including the construction of Metro Line 2, which will begin in December. The plan will be funded through a combination of national government funds, local revenue from transit-oriented development, and bond issuance.