US states lead housing reform (left); PANYNJ airport project enhances access; architects choose retrofits; MDOT funds TOD projects; Ontario plans subway TOD (right top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
Ambitious Housing Proposals are Passing Across the Country
Jared Brey, Governing | June 18, 2025
Housing reform is spreading throughout the U.S. and across both sides of the political aisle, driven by state-level zoning laws to boost housing supply. Progressive states like Oregon, Washington, and California have legalized multifamily housing on single-family lots, while conservative states like Florida and Montana have moved to override local zoning control and ease parking requirements.
NJ TOD News
NJ Affordable Housing Rules Upheld in Latest Court Ruling, But Towns Win Some Relief
William Westhoven, Morristown Daily Record | June 16, 2025
The New Jersey Superior Court rejected a coalition of 29 New Jersey towns’ attempt to resist affordable housing mandates, while also ruling that municipalities are not required to share data directly with the Fair Share Housing Center. As a result, both sides have claimed victory: Montvale Mayor Mike Ghassali praised the decision for restricting the housing center’s power, while the Fair Share Housing Center stated the ruling would not delay the implementation of current mandates.
Port Authority Breaks Ground on $160 Million Project to Transform Transit Access for Underserved Newark and Elizabeth Communities
Press Release, Port Authority | June 13, 2025
PANYNJ has broken ground on a $160 million project to build a new western entrance to Newark Liberty International Airport Station. The expansion includes an extended pedestrian bridge, new pick-up and drop-off zones, and improved bike and pedestrian access. Scheduled for completion in 2026, the project aims to enhance connectivity for historically underserved neighborhoods by providing direct access to NJ TRANSIT, AMTRAK, and AirTrain services.
BAYONNE—Developers Land $58 Million Construction Loan for 197-Unit Bayonne Rental Project
Joshua Burd, Real Estate NJ | June 12, 2025
The developers of 130 F Avenue have secured $58 million in funding for the project, expected to deliver 197 apartments along with ground-floor retail. The development is just steps from Bayonne’s vibrant Broadway corridor, and the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail’s 22nd Street Station, which will offer residents direct connections to Jersey City and Hoboken PATH stations.
JERSEY CITY—Jersey City’s West Side Square Tops Off as Phase Two Moves Forward
Chris Fry, Jersey Digs | June 12, 2025
Jersey City’s West Side Square project has reached two major milestones: topping off its first phase—two 13-story towers and several 5-story buildings—and securing planning board changes to the Fayette Broadway Redevelopment Plan. The updates clear the way for phase 2, which includes converting a historic factory into housing, and creating an easement for a potential PATH station.
Transit and Equity News
COLORADO—Koelbel Breaks Ground on Senior Affordable Housing in Lone Tree
Staff, Mile High CRE | June 17, 2025
Koelbel and Company has broken ground on Forte, an affordable housing project that will include 101 residential units reserved for seniors earning 60 percent of AMI. The development, located within the Lone Tree City Center sub-area plan, is part of a broader effort to create a walkable, mixed-use community with access to employment opportunities and a nearby light rail station.
As American Architects Gather in Boston, Retrofits Are All the Rage
Anthony Flint, Bloomberg | June 12, 2025
As architecture embraces more sustainable practices, the field is increasingly focused on adaptive reuse and retrofitting existing buildings over new construction. The discipline’s traditional emphasis on iconic exteriors and artistic expression is giving way to thoughtful reconfiguration of interior spaces—signaling a broader shift from personal creativity toward collective environmental and social responsibility.
TEXAS—City Council Approves $12 Million to Expand Affordable Housing
Press Release, The City of San Antonio | June 12, 2025
San Antonio’s City Council has approved $12 million in funding to support two housing projects, which will combine to offer 368 rental units—including 161 designated as affordable for residents earning below 50 percent of AMI. San Antonio’s Affordable Housing Bond has supported the construction of 4,600 homes across the city since its authorization in 2022.
Regional and National TOD News
INDIANA—South Shore Line Celebrates Grand Opening of New 11th Street Station in Michigan City
John Beomsoo Kim, WNDU | June 18, 2025
Officials celebrated the completion of the $650 million Double Track Northwest Indiana project with the grand opening of the South Shore Line’s new 11th Street Station in Michigan City. The $100 million station, next to a planned 12-story residential tower, anchors a 17-mile stretch of track built between Gary and Michigan City. A proposed track realignment at South Bend International Airport could soon follow, cutting travel times to Chicago by 15 to 20 minutes.
MINNESOTA—What to Know About Rochester’s Future Rapid Transit System as Construction Begins
Sean Baker, Star Tribune | June 17, 2025
Construction is underway on Rochester’s Link Bus Rapid Transit System, a $175.5 million project set to transform the downtown area into a dedicated transit corridor. Officials hope that once completed in 2027, the project will boost public transit use and reduce solo car trips from 70 percent of total commutes to below 50 percent.
FLORIDA—Ground Broken on Phase 2 of Miami’s Link at Douglas
Paola Colberg, Miami Community News | June 16, 2025
The Link at Douglas has secured a $125 million construction loan for its third tower, which will add 432 housing units to the project’s existing 733. As part of its public-private partnership with Miami-Dade County, the Link at Douglas has also committed $17 million to public infrastructure improvements, including renovations to the nearby Metrorail station and a new public plaza.
NEW YORK—70 Hudson Yards Breaks Ground in Hudson Yards, Manhattan
Michael Young, New York YIMBY | June 16, 2025
The next phase of development is underway at New York’s Hudson Yards with the construction of a 47-story mixed-use building—the state’s first zero-carbon-emission skyscraper— which will feature both ground-floor retail and upper-floor office space. Located near 34th Street-Hudson Yards Station, the site offers direct access to reliable public transit.
MARYLAND—Maryland Department of Transportation Announces $1.25 Million in Transit-Oriented Development Grants
Press Release, Maryland Department of Transportation | June 10, 2025
The Maryland Department of Transportation has awarded $1.25 million from its new Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Capital Grant Revolving Loan Fund to support mixed-use projects near Odenton MARC Station, North Bethesda Metro Station, and Baltimore‘s Reisterstown Plaza Metro Station. The TOD Fund aims to increase local transit access, spur economic growth, and support housing construction goals.
MASSACHUSETTS—MBTA Communities Law Is Not an Unfunded Mandate, Judge Rules
Jennifer Smith, Commonwealth Beacon | June 6, 2025
A Plymouth County judge denied a request to delay enforcement of the MBTA Communities Housing Law, giving Massachusetts towns until July to comply. The court rejected claims that the law would overload infrastructure as speculative, affirmed that funding programs are available to support the mandate, and ruled that the state auditor’s findings have no legal standing.
International TOD News
CANADA—Ontario Launches Open Market Process for Queen-Spadina Transit-Oriented Community
Robin MacLennan, Ontario Construction News | June 17, 2025
The Government of Ontario is seeking a private developer to construct two mixed-use towers totaling 214 housing units at the future Queen-Spadina subway station site. The project is part of a broader provincial plan to create 12 transit-oriented communities (TOCs) around stations along the Ontario Line, Yonge North Subway Extension, and Scarborough Subway Extension.
THAILAND—World Bank Chief Calls for $2 Billion Green Infrastructure Investment to Transform Thai Cities
Nongluck Ajanapanya, The Nation | June 18, 2025
Thailand could draw nearly $2 billion a year in green infrastructure investment, according to the World Bank. The Bank highlights transit-oriented planning as key to sustainable urban growth and easing traffic congestion, which can add two hours to Thai drivers’ daily commutes. It also urges immediate investment in flood control and water management to address the country’s worsening and unpredictable weather.