Parking reform in Denver (right); Smart Growth awardees; Affordable housing & healthcare TOD in Camden; Housing stability in New Rochelle; High-speed rail in Portugal (left top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
COLORADO—Denver Eliminates Minimum Parking Requirements Citywide
Hannah Metzger, Westword | August 5, 2025
The Denver City Council voted to remove minimum parking requirements citywide, with the change taking effect August 11. Supporters—including all public speakers at the meeting—argued that parking mandates often exceed demand, leave lots underused, and limit new housing construction.
NJ TOD News
HOBOKEN—Urby Breaks Ground in Hoboken as Residential Brand Expands in Hudson County
Joshua Burd, Real Estate NJ | August 7, 2025
Developer Urby has broken ground on a 16-story mixed-use building at 256 Observer Highway in downtown Hoboken, adding 345 apartments and 17,000 sq. ft. of retail space. Located within walking distance of Hoboken Terminal, the project offers convenient access to PATH, NJ TRANSIT, ferry, and bus services.
BERNARDSVILLE—Bernardsville Named New Jersey’s 37th Transit Village, Aiming to Boost Downtown Growth and Transit Access
Jay Edwards, WRNJ | August 5, 2025
Bernardsville, in Somerset County, became New Jersey’s 37th Transit Village after local officials rezoned areas near the NJ TRANSIT station to promote mixed-use development. Located on the Gladstone Branch of the Morris & Essex Line, the station provides direct access to Newark and New York City. The designation brings access to technical support, opens grant opportunities, and prioritizes Bernardsville for TOD-related state funding.
RED BANK—Construction Begins on First-of-Its-kind N.J. Apartment Complex for Adults with Autism
Allison Pries, NJ.com | August 5, 2025
Work has begun on Thrive Red Bank, a 33-unit apartment building designed for adults with autism. The project, replacing a former office building, was led by Parents with a Plan and the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services. The site was selected for its walkability and proximity to Red Bank Station. Completion is expected in early 2027, with nearly 50 applicants already expressing interest.
SEPTA Funding Troubles Leave NJ Commuters Worried
Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight News | August 5, 2025
SEPTA faces a $200 million budget shortfall and has proposed fare hikes and service cuts, including eliminating the Trenton Line—a vital link for Central Jersey commuters. Without action from the Pennsylvania Legislature by August 24, riders may need to shift to slower or more expensive alternatives like regional buses or Amtrak.
New Jersey Future Announces 2025 Smart Growth Award Winners and Leadership Award Nominee
Staff, New Jersey Stage | August 4, 2025
New Jersey Future announced seven winners of its 23rd annual Smart Growth Awards, recognizing projects that advance sustainability and equity. Honorees include Hoboken Connect, a mixed-use transit hub; Clinton Lofts, an infill project near the Trenton Transit Center; and Oliver Station in Camden, which combines affordable housing with healthcare services.
Transit and Equity News
NEW JERSEY—Affordable Housing Community with Onsite Healthcare Opens in Camden
John Harrington, ROI-NJ | August 8, 2025
The Michaels Organization and Virtua Health marked the opening of Oliver Station, a three-story mixed-use infill development offering affordable senior housing near PATCO’s Ferry Avenue Station. The transit-oriented community is the first completed project funded through NJHMFA’s Hospital Partnership Subsidy Program, which supports developments that integrate housing and healthcare services.
NEW MEXICO—Project with Transit, Housing, and Business Closer to Breaking Ground in Albuquerque
Giuli Frendak, KOB | August 4, 2025
The City of Albuquerque plans to break ground in early 2026 on a $120 million mixed-use development that will include 239 apartments—203 of them affordable—alongside ground-floor retail and nearby transit connections. ABQ Ride will invest $25 million in new bus shelters and other improvements within walking distance of the site.
NEBRASKA—Omaha Mayor Urges ‘Single Largest Investment’ in Affordable Housing, with Help from Streetcar
Cindy Gonzalez, Nebraska Examiner | July 31, 2025
Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr is advancing what he calls the City’s largest investment in affordable housing, funded through bonds repaid by tax increment financing tied to projected growth around its planned $421 million streetcar system. Officials have not yet announced the total number of units or full investment amount.
Regional and National TOD News
NEW YORK—How an NYC Suburb Is Actually Managing to Bring Rents Down
Rebecca Picciotto, The Wall Street Journal | August 5, 2025
New Rochelle has added more than 4,500 housing units over the past decade, with 6,500 more in development. While rents in New York City have surged nearly 25 percent since 2020, New Rochelle’s have risen just 1.6 percent—thanks to streamlined environmental reviews, tax incentives, and zoning reforms that lower building costs.
To Sprawl or Not to Sprawl: But Is That the Question?
Alan Mallach, Planetizen | August 5, 2025
Housing debates often frame infill development and suburban expansion as opposing strategies, but Alan Mallach, Senior Fellow at the Center for Community Progress, argues that planners should pursue both, depending on local context. Rather than choosing one model, communities can combine gentle suburban density with targeted urban redevelopment.
FLORIDA—$880M Miami Project Moves Forward
Claudiu Tiganescu, Multi-Housing News | August 4, 2025
Miami-Dade County approved The HueHub, an $880 million transit-oriented development that will replace 12 acres of low-density commercial space with more than 4,000 apartments. The project includes seven 35-story towers within walking distance of the Northside Metrorail Station. Under Florida’s Live Local Act, 40 percent of the units will be reserved for households earning up to 120 percent of area median income.
CONNECTICUT—Stamford Train Station Could be Relocated as CT Considers Adding Housing to Redesign Plan
Tyler Fedor, Stamford Advocate | August 3, 2025
The Connecticut Department of Transportation is soliciting proposals to relocate the aging Stamford Train Station and redevelop 11 acres of adjacent state-owned land. The plan includes housing, office, retail, and hotel space and supports a 2022 state master plan to reconfigure the rail network and expand Metro-North service.
Making Federal Transit Dollars Work: Two Reforms for Better Value
Rohan Aras, Niskanen Center | July 29, 2025
Despite a $23 billion federal investment in transit in 2023, many systems struggle with high costs and low ridership. Rohan Aras recommends two solutions: creating a dedicated federal transit project delivery agency and expanding the Build More Housing Near Transit Act to better link funding to land use and speed up project delivery.
International TOD News
PORTUGAL—Portugal High-Speed Rail Project Gets Green Light
Theo Burman, Newsweek | August 4, 2025
Portugal has secured €875 million from the European Investment Bank to launch its first high-speed rail line, part of the EU’s broader strategy for a continent-wide network. Construction will soon begin on a 44-mile segment between Porto and Oiã. Once completed, the new system will reduce the Lisbon–Porto travel time from nearly three hours to just 1 hour and 15 minutes.
BANGLADESH—Metrorail Construction Likely to Exceed Tk 2 Trillion
Anowar Hossain, Prothom Alo | August 3, 2025
Projected costs for two metro lines in Dhaka have jumped to over $16.47 billion—more than double initial estimates. The managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited blamed restrictive lending terms from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the primary funder. With Japanese firms leading bids for three additional lines, officials are calling for a more open and competitive procurement process.
RUSSIA—Russia Unveils Major Railway Expansion Plans
Staff, Sakshi Post | August 3, 2025
Russia announced plans for its first high-speed rail line, linking Moscow and St. Petersburg. Scheduled to break ground by 2028, the project aims to reduce travel time between the cities to 2 hours and 15 minutes. Officials also signaled interest in expanding the network with future routes.