NJ updates state plan (left) • US court to review NJ affordable housing law • NY funds $700M for affordable housing • Brownfield TOD in Hawaii • Indonesia to establish housing agency (right top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
State Plan Gets First Update Since 2001 as Murphy Team Outlines Land Use, Environmental Goals
Joshua Burd, Real Estate NJ | January 2, 2026
Governor Phil Murphy announced a major update to the State Development and Redevelopment Plan, the first since 2001. The adopted plan guides land-use principles statewide and addresses housing, economic development, infrastructure, and transportation, with goals that include expanding affordable housing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in support of state energy policy.
NJ TOD News
U.S. Judge Grants Hearing on NJ Affordable Housing Deadline
Marsha A. Stoltz, North Jersey | December 31, 2025
A federal judge granted a 29-municipality NJ coalition a January 7 evidentiary hearing to block the state’s March 15 affordable housing obligation deadline. New Jersey courts have already rejected the coalition’s efforts to halt the fourth-round process in January and June 2025. If the challenge fails again, municipalities must adopt ordinances or resolutions enabling affordable construction by March 15.
HACKENSACK—The Forte Adds 222 Apartments to Downtown Hackensack
Bill Hartnett, Jersey Digs | December 30, 2025
The Forte at 95 Anderson opened in Hackensack, adding 222 units and 4,000 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail. Located near Anderson Street Station, the development connects residents to Secaucus Junction and Hoboken Terminal, and places them within walking distance of dining and retail options, supporting the city’s downtown revitalization.
Transit and Equity News
NEW YORK—Eight Affordable Housing Projects Across NYC Receive Nearly $700M in State Funding
Max Gillespie, New York YIMBY | December 30, 2025
Governor Kathy Hochul announced nearly $700 million in state financing for eight housing developments across New York City to create and preserve 3,757 affordable housing units. Part of the state’s five-year, $25 billion Housing Plan, the funding supports projects including the conversion of the Stewart Hotel in Midtown, redevelopment of a former psychiatric center in Brooklyn, and preservation of the Park Hill complex in Staten Island.
Great Cities Don’t Just Acknowledge That We Age in Them – They Build for It. We Can Too.
Rajiv Ahuja, Planetizen, December 29, 2025
As the U.S. population ages, many cities fail to meet residents’ changing needs. Only 10 percent of American homes are age-ready, while fast pedestrian signals, uneven sidewalks, car-dependent layouts, and social isolation create barriers. Rajiv Ahuja argues that planners should follow examples such as Copenhagen and embed healthy aging into the planning process.
Regional and National TOD News
MINNESOTA—Northstar’s Final Ride Set for Sunday as Bus Pilot Takes Over
Josh Moniz Adams, Monticello Times | December 31, 2025
The Northstar Commuter Rail line between Minneapolis and Big Lake will shut down on January 5 after 16 years of service. The Metropolitan Council voted in August 2025 to end the line due to low ridership and high operating costs, replacing it with a two-year commuter bus pilot—the future of which will depend on ridership.
CALIFORNIA—Trolley Delays Are Way Down Across San Diego. Thank the New Copper Line in East County.
David Garrick, San Diego Union Tribune | December 29, 2025
Since the Copper Line opened in September 2024, San Diego Trolley on-time performance has increased from 92 percent to 95.7 percent, with the largest improvements on the Orange and Green Lines. The gains stem from reducing congestion on a single-track segment between El Cajon and Santee.
HAWAII—Reimagining Iwilei: Unlocking Transit-Oriented Development on Honolulu’s Urban Waterfront
Justin Limasa, City of Honolulu | December 29, 2025
Honolulu is advancing transit-oriented development projects on brownfield sites along its new southern shoreline rail corridor to address environmental contamination and improve access to jobs and housing in underserved areas. The City partnered with the Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) to develop workshops and reports that will guide future brownfield TOD efforts.
International TOD News
INDONESIA—Indonesia Plans to Establish Agency to Accelerate Housing Development
Hendrik Yaputra, Tempo | December 30, 2025
Indonesia plans to create a new agency to oversee land use regulations and accelerate housing development, supporting a national goal of building 3 million homes and advancing transit-oriented development. Officials from the Ministry of State, Ministry of Bureaucratic Reform, and the sovereign wealth fund will lead the effort.
CHINA—China’s High-Speed Rail Network Surpasses Rest of World Combined
Hugh Cameron, Newsweek | December 29, 2025
With the launch of the Xi’an-Yan’an line, China’s high-speed rail network now exceeds 31,000 miles, surpassing the combined total of high-speed rail lines in all other countries. The network reaches 97 percent of cities with a population over 500,000, and China plans to add another 12,000 miles by 2035.