Sherrill unveils state land housing plan (right) • Hudson Tunnel boring begins • Affordable TOD in Ann Arbor • Pinehurst Station opens in Seattle • TransLink real estate (left top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
Sherrill Details ‘Urgent’ Plan to Speed Housing Production, Says State Owns 3,100 Acres of Developable Land
Joshua Burd, Real Estate NJ | September 30, 2026
Governor Sherrill released a new housing plan identifying more than 3,100 acres of state-owned land that may support up to 42,800 homes, including 8,600 affordable units. The plan details initiatives to speed up permitting and expand tax credits and state assistance. It also advances transit-oriented sites in Red Bank, Bayonne, and Linden.
NJ TOD News
$16B Hudson Tunnel Rail Project Begins Boring
Sebastian Obando, Smart Cities Dive | September 30, 2026
The Hudson Tunnel project has begun tunnel boring operations in North Bergen and beneath the Hudson River. Construction resumed earlier this year after a federal funding dispute halted work. Once complete, the two-tube rail tunnel will connect New Jersey and New York and enable higher train frequencies.
HACKENSACK—How a 4-Sentence Email Halted Bergen’s Bus Terminal Plan
Colleen Wilson, Kristie Cattafi, and Megan Burrow, NorthJersey.com | September 29, 2026
Bergen County has paused plans for a new Hackensack Bus Terminal and 15-story workforce housing development after spending about $8 million on predevelopment. The county cites rising construction costs and property transfer delays and is weighing whether to proceed without the terminal. The project’s future remains uncertain.
PRINCETON—More Housing, Less Parking? Princeton Unveils Zoning Rewrite Plan
Sarah Salvadore, Patch | September 29, 2026
Princeton is moving to replace its separate borough and township zoning codes with one municipal land development code aligned with its recent master plan. The proposed code could simplify zoning, expand housing options, create more flexible parking rules, and reduce the need for variances. Princeton expects a complete first draft by winter 2027.
Transit and Equity News
Complete Streets and Transit-Oriented Development Create People-Centered Communities
Courtney Cole, Smart Growth America | September 30, 2026
Complete Streets focuses on transportation, while transit-oriented development focuses on land use, but the two concepts can work together to create safer, more affordable, and better-connected communities. These outcomes can result when projects and policies integrate transportation and land-use planning and community voices.
CALIFORNIA—San Diego MTS Breaks Ground on Spring View Affordable Housing
Staff, APTA Passenger Transport | September 28, 2026
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System and Affirmed Housing broke ground on Spring View, an all-affordable, 145-unit development at the Spring Street Transit Center in La Mesa. It is their third collaboration, following ShoreLINE and SkyLINE, which converted underutilized transit properties into affordable communities while maintaining access for transit riders.
MICHIGAN—The Adeline: 20-Story Affordable Housing Complex Breaks Ground in Downtown Ann Arbor
Carli Petrus, WXYZ Channel 7 | September 28, 2026
Ann Arbor broke ground on The Adeline, a 330-unit affordable housing complex next to the Blake Transit Center. The complex will serve households earning up to 80 percent of area median income, with one-third of the units reserved for lower-income families. The first residents are expected in 2028.
The Cure for Loneliness May Lie in a Suburban Duplex
Conor Dougherty, The New York Times | September 27, 2026
In the era of loneliness, community is becoming an important amenity for housing developments. Master-planned developments are increasingly designing for social connection through attached housing, walkable streets, shared spaces, and events intended to counter isolation.
Regional and National TOD News
Suburbs Before the Car
Stefan Al, Planetizen | October 2, 2026
Stefan Al, Director of Urban Planning at Hunter College, highlights the transit-oriented roots of suburbs, which developed around rail lines and supported human-scaled development. Many of these streetcar suburbs still exist, including in New Jersey, where the walkable, transit-oriented development has enabled graceful aging.
WASHINGTON—Pinehurst Station Bursts Into Action, as Upzones Trail Behind
Doug Trumm, The Urbanist | September 30, 2026
Sound Transit opened Pinehurst Station on September 30, five years ahead of schedule. The station serves both the 1 Line and the 2 Line, but its opening has outpaced planned upzoning, leaving the station surrounded by single-family homes. Seattle is currently preparing long-term station area development plans.
CALIFORNIA—California Council Backs Upzoning 89 Single-Family Aarcels Near Rail Stop to Sidestep Housing Law
Leslie Sattler, The Cool Down | September 29, 2026
The Santa Monica City Council advanced a plan to upzone 89 single-family parcels near the Expo/Bundy Light-Rail Station to 40 units per acre. City staff say the change would cover 42.7 percent of qualifying sites near the station, enough to exempt the area from the full application of SB 79 upzoning requirements.
MASSACHUSETTS—MassDOT Board Approves $600M for Transit, Housing and Transportation Infrastructure
Staff, ConstructionEquipmentGuide.com | September 28, 2026
The MassDOT Board of Directors approved $600 million for three programs: commuter fleet modernization, infrastructure that supports housing production, and road safety and resilience improvements. The housing investment will support Massachusetts’ goal of 222,000 new homes by 2035.
PENNSYLVANIA—Bankrupt Pennsylvania City Gets Nearly $100M Injection, but Visions for Revitalization Diverge
Noah Zucker, Bisnow | September 28, 2026
Governor Shapiro announced a $97 million funding program to revitalize Chester, which has struggled with bankruptcy and economic decline for years. However, the city’s future development priorities remain unsettled. While the state and consultants highlight industrial uses, the city hopes to redevelop the waterfront with mixed-use development and prioritize TOD around the Chester Transit Center.
International TOD News
NEW ZEALAND—Auckland’s City Rail Link Is Putting the City on the Right Track for Urban Renewal
Gordon Peake, Monocle | October 1, 2026
The NZ$5.5 billion (US$3.1 billion) Auckland City Rail Link opened on September 13 as New Zealand’s first underground metro. Auckland hopes the new rail system will contribute to broader urban renewal while helping to retain young talent. However, some critics note that the rail stations and urban development have not yet been sufficiently integrated.
CANADA—Vancouver Transit Operator Expands Into Real Estate
Howard Chai, The Globe and Mail | September 29, 2026
TransLink in Vancouver is expanding into real estate development to diversify revenue beyond fares and taxes. In July, the transit agency partnered with PCI Developments to break ground on the 303-unit Kitsilano Tower near the future Arbutus SkyTrain station. The transit agency has identified eight sites for development and projects an estimated $22 million in revenue over ten years.