NJ TRANSIT real estate open house (right) • Affordable housing plans milestone • New housing drove Austin rents down • Housing policy is bipartisan climate policy • India’s rail spurs growth (left, top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
NJ TRANSIT to Hold Open House for Real Estate Opportunities
Staff, New Jersey Business Magazine | March 19, 2026
NJ TRANSIT will host an open house on April 21 at its Newark headquarters to connect developers and municipal officials with its real estate team and showcase transit-oriented development opportunities statewide. The event supports the agency’s LAND Plan, which aims to generate billions in revenue and support up to 20,000 new homes on agency-owned land.
NJ TOD News
‘Historic Milestone’ as NJ Towns Submit Affordable Housing Plans
Joanna Gagis, NJ Spotlight News | March 20, 2026
More than 400 municipalities have adopted ordinances to implement affordable housing plans under the Mount Laurel doctrine, while roughly 20 towns have not yet complied. The Fair Share Housing Center says the effort is critical to improving affordability as the state’s median home price reached $540,000 in February.
JERSEY CITY—505 Summit Reaches Completion at 505 Summit Avenue in Jersey City, NJ
Max Gillespie, New York YIMBY | March 20, 2026
Panepinto Properties has completed construction and begun pre-leasing at 505 Summit, a mixed-use project with 605 rental units and 3,200 sq. ft. of retail. The building is located next to the Journal Square Transportation Center, providing direct access to PATH trains and NJ TRANSIT buses.
ASBURY PARK—Asbury Park OKs 30-Year PILOT Tax Abatement for Mixed-Use Development with Affordable Housing
Mario Marroquin, Jersey Digs | March 16, 2026
The Asbury Park City Council approved a 30-Year PILOT agreement with Memorial Avenue Holdings for a project one block from Asbury Park Station. The development will include 92 apartments—20 percent affordable—along with 4,000 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail and 7,248 sq. ft. of office space.
RIVERSIDE—Kokes Launches Preleasing, Nears Completion of Final Building at The Mill at Riverside
Joshua Burd, Real Estate NJ | March 15, 2026
Kokes Properties has launched pre–leasing for the final building at The Mill at Riverside, bringing the project to 190 units. The new building adds 64 units to a walkable neighborhood with access to Riverside Station on the River LINE.
Transit and Equity News
WASHINGTON—Mercy Housing Breaks Ground on Kent Multicultural Village
Steve Hunter, Kent Reporter | March 19, 2025
Mercy Housing has broken ground on Kent Multicultural Village, a 233-unit all-affordable development next to Sound Transit’s Kent–Des Moines light rail station. Sound Transit sold the vacant two-acre parcel to Mercy Housing at a $6.5 million discount to support the project.
TEXAS—Austin’s Surge of New Housing Construction Drove Down Rents
Liz Clifford, Seva Rodnyansky, and Dennis Su, Pew Research Center | March 18, 2026
Pew Research Center reports that Austin reduced rents by expanding housing supply through zoning reforms, streamlined permitting, and major affordable housing investment. From 2015 to 2024, Austin added 120,000 units—more than three times the national growth rate—while rents declined despite steady population growth.
Best Year for Missing Middle Construction Since 2007
Robert Dietz, Eye on Housing | March 17, 2026
Middle housing construction reached about 19,000 units in 2025, the highest level since 2007. Although production rose six percent year over year, medium-density housing construction remains well below its pre-Great Recession average and will likely continue to lag without significant zoning reforms.
CALIFORNIA—Could Transit Agency-Owned Land Help Solve California’s Housing Problem?
Ryan Kushner, Smart Cities Dive | March 16, 2026
Enterprise Community Partners identified nearly 3,000 transit agency-owned parcels in California with redevelopment potential. The sites could support up to 240,000 affordable homes across 8,000 acres, most within walking distance of bus, light rail, or metro facilities.
HAWAII—Mayor Details Progress to Make Honolulu More Affordable in State of the City Address
Staff, Hawaii News Now | March 18, 2026
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi outlined efforts to improve affordability during his State of the City address. Initiatives include launching the new Department of Housing and Land Management, advancing transit-oriented development, supporting Skyline expansion, and enabling infill housing.
Regional and National TOD News
The Most Bipartisan Climate Policy Is Housing Policy
Staff, California YIMBY | March 20, 2026
A new Climate Cabinet Education report finds Americans spend 170 percent more time stuck in traffic than in 1980, largely due to sprawling development. The report identifies zoning reforms—such as allowing higher density near transit, eliminating parking minimums, and legalizing ADUs—as among the most effective ways to reduce climate pollution.
CONNECTICUT—CT’s New $90M Development Agency Poised to Make First Loan in Enfield Redevelopment
Michael Puffer, Hartford Business Journal | March 18, 2026
The Connecticut Municipal Development Authority plans to issue a $9.36 million low-interest loan for a 156-unit project near a planned Hartford Line rail station. The agency aims to advance high-density, transit-oriented growth in downtowns statewide using $90 million in bonding authorization through 2027.
WASHINGTON—ST3 Cannot Be Delivered on Time, So Sound Transit Is Considering Light Rail Cuts
Joshua McNichols, KUOW | March 18, 2026
Sound Transit officials warn that rising land and construction costs could force the agency to defer nearly $35 billion in planned expansions. The Ballard line and West Seattle extension may be shortened or see stations merged, while the South Kirkland-Issaquah line could be eliminated.
NEW YORK—MTA Sues Trump Administration Over Order to Halt Second Avenue Subway Funding
Stephen Nessen & Ramsey Khalifeh, Gothamist | March 17, 2026
The MTA has sued the Trump administration for withholding a $3.4 billion federal grant for the Second Avenue Subway expansion. Federal officials froze the funding while reviewing MTA contracting practices related to minority-owned businesses. The agency has diverted millions from infrastructure maintenance to cover the shortfall.
International TOD News
NEW ZEALAND—Rail Provides Shield Against Global Oil Volatility
Staff, Auckland Scoop | March 20, 2026
The Future Is Rail, a Wellington advocacy group, is calling for expanded rail investment to reduce New Zealand’s reliance on oil following conflict in the Strait of Hormuz. Advocates say renewable-powered freight and passenger rail could strengthen energy independence and economic resilience.
India’s Big Push to Metro Rail Spurs Growth, Cuts Financial Stress in Cities
Staff, The Hans India, March 15, 2026
India’s metro network has expanded from a handful of lines in five cities to more than 620 miles across 26 cities since 2014. Improved connectivity and lowered transportation costs have produced measurable economic benefits. In Delhi, missed home loan repayments fell 4.42 percent over the same period.