NJTOD examines PILOTs (right); Bayfront breaks ground; CA Gov. endorses YIMBY bills; US building permits plummet; Calgary gets affordable TOD (left top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
What’s Taxes Got to Do With It? Exploring PILOTs
Staff, NJTOD | May 13, 2025
NJTOD explores Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs), an increasingly common method to generate new development and affordable housing in New Jersey. Under these agreements, developers pay an annual service charge in place of traditional property taxes, making previously unfeasible projects financially viable. However, concerns remain in some communities over tax revenue and school funding.
NJ TOD News
NJ Transit Rail Service Shuts Down as Workers Go on Historic Strike
Ramsey Khalifeh, Gothamist | May 16, 2025
NJ TRANSIT engineers launched the agency’s first major rail strike since 1983 on Friday, halting service for over 100,000 weekday riders. The union rejected a proposed contract, citing no raises since 2019 and accusing the agency of prioritizing “pet projects.” Officials urged commuters to work from home and warned of overcrowding on alternate transit.
WESTFIELD—Westfield Eyes Five Sites for Affordable Housing
Mike Deak, My Central Jersey | May 16, 2025
Westfield has identified five commercial parcels for potential redevelopment into affordable housing to meet its state mandate for 380 affordable units. Three of the sites are within a half mile from Westfield Station on NJ TRANSIT’s Raritan Valley Line; the other two are also within the NJ TRANSIT corridor, though farther from the station.
JERSEY CITY—First Phase of Jersey City’s Bayfront Breaks Ground with Record-Breaking Affordable Housing
Chris Fry, Jersey Digs | May 14, 2025
Jersey City has started construction on the first phase of its 95-acre Bayfront redevelopment project, featuring 210 units with 80 percent designated as workforce or affordable housing. Once complete, the full Bayfront Project will include 8,000 new housing units, green space, and a new extension on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.
NJ Towns Want More Time to Draft Affordable Housing Plans. So far, Judges Say No
Mike Hayes, Gothamist | May 12, 2025
Nearly 80 New Jersey municipalities are requesting extensions on the state’s June 30 deadline to submit their 4th round affordable housing plans, citing time constraints and limited public input. Advocates argue the fixed deadline ensures timely compliance and prevents delays; at least half of the appeals have been denied.
Transit and Equity News
CALIFORNIA—Gov. Newsom Picks Housing Over CEQA in 2 Bills Aimed at Speeding Construction
Ben Christopher, Silicon Valley | May 16, 2025
California Governor Gavin Newsom endorsed two housing bills that would streamline zoning approval and exempt most urban infill developments from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), aiming to accelerate housing construction. Newsom also proposed directing environmental impact fees towards affordable housing construction near public transit.
TENNESSEE—Street View: Where Transit Meets Affordable Housing
Lena Mazel, Nashville Scene | May 15, 2025
As Nashville plans to add 90,000 housing units over the next decade, leaders and researchers point to zoning reforms and transit-oriented development along the city’s “all-access corridors” as essential to reaching this goal; an approach that aligns with Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s $3.9 billion “Choose How You Move” initiative, which seeks to integrate infrastructure investment with equitable growth.
CALIFORNIA—Affordable Housing Complex Built on VTA Property to Open in San Jose
Ian Cull, NBC | May 13, 2025
An all-affordable 135-unit housing complex is nearing completion on a Valley Transportation Authority property in San José. Located next to Tamien Station and offering onsite childcare services, the development aims to reduce vehicle dependency and will accept its first residents in August.
NEW YORK—An Arts Hub and Affordable Housing Under One Roof in Inwood
Matt Yan, The New York Times | May 12, 2025
The Miramar, a 698-unit mixed-use, mixed-income development in Inwood—including 40 percent affordable and 10 percent workforce housing—will welcome its first residents in June. The People’s Theatre, a civic, cultural, and arts center, will occupy a portion of the building starting in July 2026. The site is located adjacent to the 207th St. Subway Station.
Regional and National TOD News
Permits to Build New Apartments Have Plummeted
Samantha Latson, New York Times | May 15, 2025
Following a pandemic-driven boom in apartment construction, permit approvals for new multi-family housing declined sharply across much of the U.S. While most metro areas have scaled back, Sun Belt cities like Austin and Cape Coral continue to grow due to looser zoning restrictions and infrastructure expansion.
OHIO—Cleveland-Area TOD Projects Reach High in 2024
Ken Prendergast, NEOtrans | May 14, 2025
Transit-oriented development in Cuyahoga County reached an all-time high in 2024, accounting for $298 million in new investment. However, 92 percent of TOD activity occurred in Cleveland, suggesting little suburban participation despite 26 communities having TOD corridors. The county seeks to address this discrepancy through an incentivized TOD zoning initiative.
NEW YORK—Here is Everything That Has Changed Since Congestion Pricing Has Started in New York
Emily Badger, New York Times | May 11, 2025
New congestion pricing data indicates the $9 toll has led to a 12 percent decrease in vehicle traffic entering the congestion zone, faster commute times, and increased transit ridership. Additionally, car injuries, parking violations, and noise complaints have declined, with no reported harm to local business. It is still too early to gauge the effects on the environment and low-income commuters.
MARYLAND—Rockville, a Green Small City Built on Transit Urbanism
Robert Steuteville, CNU | May 9, 2025
Rockville, Maryland, ranked the second greenest small city in the U.S., stands out for its walkability and robust transit access—attributes driven by its early embrace of TOD around its Metro station. Starting in the 1990s, Rockville adopted New Urbanism, transforming suburban sprawl into walkable development, anchored by its connection to the D.C. Metro and projects like the Rockville Town Square.
TEXAS—’DART Killer’ Bill Would Immobilize Thousands of Dallasites
Alyssa Fields, Dallas Observer | May 8, 2025
HB3187, a bill advancing through the Texas Legislature, would cut DART funding by 25 percent, threaten 5,800 jobs, stall or delay $3.5 billion in projects, and reduce service by 30 percent. If passed, riders like students and low-income workers who rely heavily on the system to reach classes and employment could be left without viable transportation options.
International TOD News
CANADA—Onward to Deliver 350 New Homes in Transit-Oriented Franklin Station Development
Christina Pilarski, EIN Presswire | May 14, 2025
Calgary has partnered with nonprofit Onward to construct 350 new homes at Franklin Station, half of which will be affordable, as part of the city’s Transit-Oriented Development strategy. The project aims to create a walkable, mixed-use development along Calgary’s LRT system, advancing the city’s broader housing and livability goals.
UNITED KINGDOM—IKEA Backs Traffic-Free Oxford Street to Serve New London Store
Katie Linsell, Bloomberg | April 29, 2025
IKEA is backing London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s push to pedestrianize Oxford Street as it opens a new London city-center site. Pedestrianizing Oxford Street, opposed by some nearby residents and businesses, would support Mayor Khan’s plan to revive the Oxford Street shopping district, which has struggled with vacancies and declining foot traffic post-pandemic.
A Century Ago, Suspended Monorail Were Serious Mass-Transit Contenders
Bill Gourgey, Popular Science | May 10, 2025
Suspended monorails, once considered a futuristic mass-transit solution, lost favor in the mid 1990s; but now as cities grow denser, aerial transit is gaining renewed interest, with existing systems like New York’s Roosevelt Island Tram and Japan’s Chiba Urban Monorail demonstrating how suspended transit can serve urban commuters, especially in areas with limited space or challenging terrain.