NJ Affordable Housing Fund (left); NJ mansion tax; Hotel-to-residential conversion; Federal TOD bill; Housing investment in Mexico City (right top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
Housing Advocates Push for More Money for NJ Affordable Housing Fund
Morgan Leason, New Jersey Monitor | July 15, 2025
Lawmakers plan to shift $125 million from New Jersey’s affordable housing fund, leaving just $5 million in the next budget. Advocates warn the cut will worsen the state’s shortage of nearly 300,000 affordable units. State officials say the funds will support other housing initiatives.
NJ TOD News
Groundbreaking Held for Landmark Greenway Project
Staff, New Jersey Business | July 15, 2025
Officials broke ground on the Essex-Hudson Greenway, a nine-mile rail-to-trail project spanning eight communities across Essex and Hudson counties. Backed by the Murphy administration and NJ TRANSIT, the first phase of the project will feature pedestrian and cycling paths, creating a new active transportation corridor.
NEW BRUNSWICK—Mixed-Use Building with 331 Apartments Gets OK from New Brunswick Planning Board
Chuck O’Donnell, TAP into New Brunswick | July 15, 2025
The New Brunswick Planning Board unanimously approved a 331-unit mixed-use building near New Brunswick Station. Developer 90 Bayard Group Urban Renewal LLC revised its original proposal by removing 57 units and 2 stories, while adding 67 affordable units.
Housing Network Steps Up Efforts to Require NJ to Dedicate Mansion Tax to Affordable Housing
Max Pizarro, Insider NJ | July 14, 2025
New Jersey’s Housing and Community Development Network (HCDNN) is urging the state to dedicate revenue from the new “mansion tax” to the Affordable Housing Fund. Projected to generate over $300 million annually from home sales over $1 million, the tax presents an opportunity to restore funding recently diverted from the Housing Fund.
NEWARK—Newark City Council Backs West Side Affordable Housing Development
Mario Marroquin, Jersey Digs | July 14, 2025
Newark City Council approved a 25-year PILOT for Unity 12th Street Development Urban Renewal LLC to build a four-story residential project on a vacant West Side parcel. The building will include 24 affordable units and lies near several bus stops, aligning with the City’s infill development goals.
Transit and Equity News
CALIFORNIA—BART Chooses Developer Team for 618-Unit Housing Project at Ashby Station
Nico Savidge, Berkeleyside | July 18, 2025
BART has selected a development team led by Pacific Companies to build 618 homes—half of them affordable—and 25,000 sq. ft. of commercial space at Ashby Station in South Berkeley. Some board members and community leaders criticized the decision for sidelining local partner SUDA and expressed concerns over the potential use of non-union labor.
ILLINOIS—Joliet City Council to Consider Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Plan
Staff, WJOL | July 14, 2025
The Joliet City Council is weighing a downtown eTOD plan to revitalize the area around the Joliet Gateway Transportation Center. Supporters say upzoning for denser housing near the station would attract residents, support local businesses, and drive economic growth.
MARYLAND—$27 Million Investment Will Transform Hotel Into 227 Units of Affordable Housing
Staff, The MoCo Show | July 13, 2025
Arctaris Impact will invest $27 million to convert a downtown Silver Spring hotel—located less than a mile from Silver Spring Station—into 227 apartments. To help address the region’s housing shortage, half of the units will be affordable to households earning 60 percent of the area median income.
CONNECTICUT—New Canaan Case Marks Victory for Affordable Housing Advocates
Ginny Monk, CT Mirro | July 11, 2025
A Superior Court judge ordered New Canaan to approve a 102-unit apartment complex—including 31 affordable units—less than a half mile from the town’s train station. The court ruled the Planning & Zoning Commission’s denial violated state law, which restricts towns from rejecting affordable housing without legitimate health or safety concerns.
ILLINOIS—Historic Hotel Becomes Affordable Senior Housing in East St. Louis
Press Release, HUD User | July 10, 2025
After decades of vacancy, East St Louis’ Broadview Building has reopened as a 110-unit mixed-use development for low-income seniors. Residents will have access to health and wellness services, nutritional assistance, and a nearby light rail station.
MARYLAND—Development Without Displacement: Safeguarding Municipalities Near Transit Project
Tomeka Lee, NLC | July 10, 2025
As Maryland’s 16-mile Purple Line nears completion, local leaders and advocates are working to prevent displacement amid rising development pressures. At a recent Housing Association for Nonprofit Developers conference, panelists stressed policy reform, data use, community engagement, and public-private partnerships to ensure equitable growth.
Regional and National TOD News
Carter Introduces Bill to Spur American Economic Development in Housing
Press Release, Office of Representative Buddy Carter | July 17, 2025
Reps. Buddy Carter (GA) and Greg Stanton (AZ) introduced the CHARGE Investments Act to expand federal loan eligibility for transit-oriented development. The bill would extend the qualifying radius for TOD loans from a half mile to two miles around intercity rail stations and a quarter mile around intracity light rail stations.
CALIFORNIA—Trump Rescinds $4 Billion in US Funding for California High-Speed Rail Project
David Shepardson, Reuters | July 16, 2025
President Trump announced the U.S. will revoke $4 billion in federal funding for California’s high-speed rail, citing delays, budget overruns, and inflated ridership projections. California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Ian Choudri called the move illegal, arguing the funding was legally binding and that the state had met all obligations.
NEW YORK—We’re Walking: Study Finds New Yorkers in 4 Boroughs Walk, Bike More Than Rest of US
Paige Oamek, Gothamist | July 16, 2025
A StreetLight study found that four of New York City’s five boroughs—Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens—lead the nation in active transportation. In Manhattan, nearly 60 percent of trips are made by foot or bike. Hudson County, New Jesey, ranked fifth, reinforcing the link between population density and walkability.
MARYLAND—Maryland Incentivizes Transit-Friendly Development in Frederick
Mara K. Bell, The Frederick News Post | July 15, 2025
Maryland DOT has designated the area around Francis Scott Key Mall as a TOD zone, making $250,000 in state grants available to the county or private developers. The site, near Frederick MARC Station, currently includes large retailers and expansive surface parking.
NEW YORK—As MTA Moves Ahead With 2nd Avenue Subway Extension, East Harlem Locals Brace for Change
Ramsey Khalifeh, Gothamist | July 15, 2025
The MTA’s $7.7 billion 2nd Avenue Subway extension will add three Q line stations at 106th, 116th, and 125th streets. Some East Harlem residents welcome the project for its potential to improve transit access and job opportunities; others fear it will accelerate gentrification and displacement.
OHIO—Ohio Amtrak Expansion: New Routes From Cleveland and Columbus Enter Crucial Study Phase
Susan Glaser, Cleveland.com | July 15, 2025
Three proposed passenger rail routes would connect Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton, with additional links to Chicago and Pittsburgh. Initial feasibility studies are complete, but uncertain state funding and political skepticism remain major hurdles.
MASSACHUSETTS—New Worcester Development, The Cove, Embodies City’s Revival With Urban Appeal and Historic Flair
Staff, Boston Real Estate Times | July 10, 2025
The Cove, a 173-unit apartment building, highlights the Canal District’s ongoing revitalization. Located near Worcester Union Station, the project is part of the City’s broader resurgence, fueled by downtown investment and adaptive reuse. Developer TAT has delivered nearly 1,000 homes citywide through infill and restoration.
International TOD News
CANADA—Oxford Breaks Ground on $750 Million Rental Development to Deliver First Major Purpose-Built Housing Project in Scarborough in Over a Generation
Staff, PR Newswire | July 15, 2025
Oxford Properties Group has broken ground on Alta, a $750 million transit-oriented development in Scarborough. The project’s three residential towers will add 1,285 homes—including 268 affordable units—and ground-floor retail. Alta is the first phase of a broader plan to add 10,000 homes to the Scarborough Centre TTC Station area.
MEXICO—Mexico City’s Mayor Unveils Housing Program to Reduce Impacts of Gentrification
Staff, Mexico News Daily | July 15, 2025
Mexico City will invest $31.8 million to build 20,000 affordable homes aimed at curbing gentrification and displacement. The City has completed 1,000 homes, with four additional buildings under construction in central boroughs. All homes will rent for no more than 30 percent of a tenant’s income—offering stability to low-income residents and those on fixed incomes.
CANADA—Opinion: Why Land Assemblers Aren’t the Enemy—The ‘Middlemen’ Help Get Homes Built
Mark Goodman, Ian Brackett, and Megan Johal, DH Urbanized | July 14, 2025
Land assemblers—often blamed for driving up land costs—face criticism for not delivering homes directly. But these “middlemen” navigate lengthy, costly processes that help enable new development. Goodman, Brackett, and Johal, brokers at Goodman Commercial, argue that rather than condemning assemblers, efforts should focus on cutting regulatory barriers that delay homebuilding.
MALAYSIA—Frankly Speaking: Increasing Parking Ratio at TODs Defeats Their Purpose
Staff, The Edge Malaysia | July 14, 2025
A proposal in Selangor to double parking minimums from one to two spaces per unit for transit-oriented developments threatens to undermine Malaysia’s TOD and transit expansion goals. This article argues the move contradicts TOD principles and reinforces class segregation, as high-parking projects cater to higher-income residents.