Since 1988, more than 10,000 units of affordable housing obligations have been transferred from “sending” municipalities to “receiving” municipalities under the Regional Contribution Agreements (RCAs) allowed by Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) regulations.
RCAs allow the sending municipality to pay the receiving municipality to satisfy part of the sender’s affordable housing […]
Development and Redevelopment
RCA’s: More Harm Than Good?
Wednesday, January 31st, 2007Can Property Tax Relief Help Slow Sprawl?
Monday, December 18th, 2006New Jersey’s overdependence on property taxes to pay for local services, especially schools, is perhaps the most significant factor behind the state’s sprawling growth patterns, which have hurt families, businesses, the environment, and the economy.
The average cost of educating one child in NJ is $12,981, while the median property tax bill […]
Cashing in on History
Tuesday, November 28th, 2006States around the country are making money off of history.
Historic tax credit programs, found in 28 states, provide property owners with economic incentives to revitalize older neighborhoods and reuse historic structures by providing state tax credits for their rehabilitation. These tax credit programs have been found to be a boon for state economies.
In Rhode Island, […]
Fewer Kids Living in Transit Villages and Town Homes
Sunday, November 26th, 2006A new analysis of 2000 U.S. Census data from Rutgers University finds that higher-density, multiunit development near train stations does not bring in nearly the number of schoolchildren as previously believed—and often actually produces fewer children than larger, single-family homes.
Previous studies, based on 25-year-old demographics, and upon which currently held […]
Nowhere to Live
Friday, September 29th, 2006New Jersey has the fifth-least affordable housing in the nation, according to the U.S. Census. One in four New Jersey households is saddled with a housing burden, meaning they spend at least 35 percent of their gross income on housing costs.
The lack of more affordable options in housing, including townhomes and apartments, puts New Jersey […]
Seeking a Prosperous Garden State
Thursday, September 14th, 2006Governor Corzine’s Economic Growth Strategy, unveiled last week, outlines steps the state will take to spark economic growth and innovation in the Garden State.
New Jersey’s economy faces a number of challenges. While New Jersey stands out on a host of traditional economic income indicators such as income level, educational attainment, homeownership, and employment, recent […]
Growing Smart and Water Wise
Thursday, August 31st, 2006This report highlights how development has affected water resources in the Pinelands growth areas and what can be done to minimize its future negative impacts.
Gas Prices and Smart Growth
Tuesday, May 16th, 2006With gasoline prices breaking $3 a gallon this month, many New Jerseyans have renewed reason to mourn the steady disappearance of jobs from transit-accessible communities.
A study of New Jersey’s competitiveness released May 2 by the Brookings Institution shows that New Jersey counties boasting some of the nation’s most extensive […]
Prosperity at Risk
Friday, April 21st, 2006
No state has lost more jobs in the high-tech industry in the past decade than New Jersey, according to an analysis of New Jersey’s competitive position by the Brookings Institution, in partnership with New Jersey Future.
New Jersey lost nearly 30,000 (28,083) high-tech jobs between 1995 and 2004. California, in contrast, gained nearly 50,000 such […]
Catalysts for Urban Change
Friday, March 17th, 2006Wachovia Bank and Matrix Development Group this week celebrated the official opening of Wachovia’s regional headquarters in a new, five-story office building in the heart of downtown Trenton.
The $15.7 million project marks the first significant private investment in commercial office development in the city in more than a decade.
Wachovia cited its desire to follow its […]
