Meet affordable housing development Adenah Bayoh (left); NJ Smart Growth Explorer; Smart infrastructure and connectivity; MTA approves construction plan; Maharashtra’s vision for affordable housing and urban development (right top-to-bottom)
Article of the Week
NEWARK—Meet Adenah Bayoh, New Jersey’s First Black Female Affordable Housing Developer
Mike Hayes, Gothamist, September 25 2024
Adenah Bayoh, a Liberian-born developer raised in Newark, actively supports her community by continuing her work on affordable housing. She is developing a 40-unit building on Newark’s South Side for low- and moderate-income families, including those recently experiencing homelessness. The project will provide essential services like free Wi-Fi, computers for each family, and on-site after-school tutoring. Funded by tax credits, it addresses New Jersey’s affordable housing gap of 200,000 units.
NJ TOD News
Business Action Center Launches Free Geospatial Tool for Municipalities and Developers
Staff, ROI-NJ, September 26 2024
Check out the NJ Smart Growth Explorer, a free tool from the NJ Business Action Center’s Office of Planning Advocacy, developed with Rowan University’s Geospatial Research Lab. It provides municipalities and developers with data on climate, environmental metrics, and development factors to support informed planning. Currently in beta, the tool will evolve based on feedback from local officials and planners.
DUNELLEN—Dunellen Clears Downtown Redevelopment Plan with 50 Apartments
Jessica Perry, NJBIZ, September 23 2024
The Dunellen Planning Board approved a new mixed-use building at 405-415 North Ave., near the NJ TRANSIT Dunellen Station, as part of the town’s downtown redevelopment efforts. Designed by local resident Italo Teixeira of Taylor Architecture & Design, the three-story project will offer 50 residences, including seven affordable units, and 3,622 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail. The project will feature transit-inspired architecture that reflects Dunellen’s history as a railroad town.
MAPLEWOOD—Maplewood Township Committee Members Discuss Demolition Permits, Maplewood Olympian, Top Condos, Affordable Housing & More
Elise Phillips Margulis, TAP into SOMA, September 19 2024
The Maplewood Township Committee is working with Ingerman to develop 40 units of affordable housing. After receiving 10 submissions, the Township selected Ingerman as its partner and is currently exploring potential sites for the project. Ingerman will be responsible for securing state funding, including affordable housing tax credits, as Maplewood seeks to proactively meet upcoming state housing regulations.
Transit and Equity News
HAWAII & TEXAS—Smart Infrastructure and Connectivity in American Public Transportation
Staff, Global Railway Review, September 26 2024
Smart infrastructure is transforming public transportation in U.S. cities through advanced technologies like IoT devices, real-time data analytics, and intelligent traffic management systems. In an interview, Dottie Watkins, CEO of CapMetro in Austin, and Jon Nouchi, Deputy Director of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services, discuss how their cities are leveraging these innovations to improve efficiency, sustainability, and the passenger experience. Austin’s Project Connect and Honolulu’s Skyline rail highlight how smart infrastructure is being used to integrate multi-modal transportation
and promote equitable development.
NEW YORK—City of ‘Yes’: Planning Commission Approves Mayor’s Elimination of Mandatory Parking
Sophia Lebowitz, StreetsBlog NYC, September 25 2024
Mayor Adams’s “City of Yes” zoning initiative, which aims to boost housing by eliminating parking mandates, gained significant momentum with strong support from the City Planning Commission, passing in a 10-3 vote. However, the proposal faces an uncertain future in the City Council, where debates over parking, density, and urban-suburban conflicts may affect its chances.
NEW YORK—NYC Rezoning Proposal Would Allow Faith-Based Staten Island Groups, Campuses to Build On-site Housing
Kristin F. Dalton, SI Live, September 24 2024
NYC faith-based organizations are set to build affordable housing on Staten Island after the City Planning Commission approved the “City of Yes” proposal. The plan simplifies zoning laws, easing restrictions like height limits and lot coverage, and promotes converting underused buildings, especially near transit hubs. Despite its potential, the proposal faces opposition from some outer-borough communities, including Queens.
GEORGIA—$160 Million Residential Tower Planned for Underground Atlanta
Libby Allnatt, What Now Atlanta, September 23 2024
A new 30-story tower will rise at Underground Atlanta’s fountain plaza, replacing a long-vacant site with 405 residential units, including 163 for households earning at or below 60 percent of the area median income (AMI). Located across from the Five Points MARTA Station, the project will reduce parking-to-unit ratios to improve transit accessibility. Funding for the affordable units comes from a recently approved $40 million tax-exempt bond issuance by Invest Atlanta, with construction expected to start by the end of 2025 to boost downtown Atlanta’s vibrancy.
Regional and National TOD News
NEW YORK—MTA Board Approves Massive Construction Plan, Sending Gov. Hochul $33B Invoice
Stephen Nessen, Gothamist, September 25 2024
The MTA board has unanimously approved a $65.4 billion capital plan to address the city’s mass transit infrastructure needs, sending a request for $33 billion in state funding to Gov. Kathy Hochul. The plan focuses on essential repairs, upgrades to aging equipment, and the acquisition of new trains, while also including funding for the proposed Interborough Express light rail project. Critics argue that the MTA should prioritize maintaining the existing system over new expansions, warning that without necessary funding, key projects like the Interborough Express may be cut.
Covid Walloped Mass Transit. Have Cities Learned to Adjust?
Mike Lee, E&ENews, September 24 2024
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant drop in public transportation ridership, with train use at 71 percent and bus use at 77 percent of pre-pandemic levels, straining city budgets and raising concerns about the future of mass transit. In response, transit agencies have implemented fare increases, cost-cutting measures, and sought emergency funding to balance their budgets. Some regions, like Richmond, Virginia, have successfully boosted ridership through local tax support and enhanced service frequency, demonstrating that adapting to new commuting patterns can help stabilize transit systems in a changing landscape.
CALIFORNIA—Fewer Developments Will Have to Include Parking Spaces Under New State Law
John Donegan, LB Post, September 21 2024
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 2553, expanding a ban on local governments requiring parking spaces for developments near transit areas to help address California’s housing crisis. The law, effective January 2025, aims to ease construction costs and promote affordable housing by eliminating parking minimums, particularly in areas with frequent transit service. While this may benefit housing development, concerns remain about potential challenges for drivers in urban areas where parking could become scarcer.
FLORIDA—JTA Approves Leases for Two Transit-Oriented Downtown Apartment Developments
Staff, Jacksonville Daily Record, September 19 2024
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) has signed agreements to develop two multifamily workforce housing projects in Downtown Jacksonville, featuring long-term leases with Corner Lot and Gateway Jax. The Corner Lot development will include 186 units, with 40 percent designated for residents earning 80 percent of the area median income, while the Gateway Jax project will feature 250 units, with 15 percent for those earning 120 percent of the area median income. Both transit-oriented developments aim to enhance walkability and access to public transportation in the area, with completion expected within three years.
International TOD News
INDIA—Maharashtra’s Vision for Affordable Housing and Urban Development
Staff, Elets News Network, September 27 2024
Equitable transit-oriented development (TOD) drives growth in Maharashtra, with slum rehabilitation projects in Mumbai utilizing public-private partnerships, as stated by Chief Secretary of the Housing Department, Valsa R. Nair Singh. This approach integrates housing construction with the expanding Mumbai Metro network, mandating affordable unit set-asides in new developments and relaxing density restrictions around transit stops. Secretary Singh emphasizes that the state’s policy aims to reduce car dependency while fostering social cohesion.
SPAIN & FRANCE—Leveraging Public Transport as a New Delivery Solution To Help Cut Pollution
Staff, ETX, September 24 2024
Madrid and Strasbourg are piloting innovative projects that utilize existing public transportation networks for parcel delivery, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and urban congestion. In Madrid, a dedicated metro train on Line 12 transports parcels from 7 pm to 8 pm without stopping at all stations, carrying about 700 parcels daily. The plan includes expanding the project to Line 3 by year-end and incorporating bicycles and carts for last-mile delivery. Similarly, Strasbourg experiments with using its trams to move parcels from a major postal sorting center, with each tram handling around 100 parcels.
INDONESIA—World Car Free Day Should Be a Reminder to Rethink Our Driving Habits: An Opinion Piece
Taufiq Ihsan, Indonesia Expat, September 20 2024
World Car Free Day, observed last Friday, prompted Indonesians to reconsider their dependence on cars and explore sustainable alternatives. Traffic congestion and air pollution challenge Indonesian cities, exacerbated by limited transit options. Taufiq Ihsan from Universitas Andalas urges local leaders to prioritize sustainable mobility solutions like bus rapid transit and improved cycling infrastructure. He emphasizes that both policymakers and citizens share responsibility in achieving these goals. As regional elections approach, embracing these alternatives can create a more livable Indonesia.