“As New Jersey works to advance decarbonization and resilience efforts, we must ensure that residents are able to make informed decisions for themselves, and their families, in the wake of growing climate risks,” said New Jersey Future (NJF) Policy Manager Kim Irby, at the August 11th joint legislative committee hearing hosted by State Senator Bob Smith (D-17) and State Assemblyman James Kennedy (D-22) last Thursday.
Planning and Governance
New Jersey Future Provides Direction at Joint State Senate and State Assembly Climate Hearing
Tuesday, August 16th, 2022State Agencies Shape Infrastructure Programs to Address 21st Century Challenges
Monday, July 11th, 2022With a record state surplus and billions of dollars of federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), New Jersey communities enjoy a rare opportunity to address redevelopment challenges, explained Peter Kasabach, New Jersey Future’s executive director. But a “lack of readiness” will be their biggest obstacle to accessing those funds, asserted New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Commissioner Shawn LaTourette.
Walking the Talk: Planning for Places that Actualize Equity and Inclusion
Friday, July 8th, 2022“In this era of racial reckoning, especially triggered by the murder of George Floyd, we have to pause and ask what our role is as a profession, what responsibility we have had in creating the societies in which we live, and how we rectify [problems] with an equity lens,” stated Eleanor Sharpe, deputy director for planning and zoning in the City of Philadelphia, a panelist in the first plenary session of the 2022 New Jersey Planning and Redevelopment Conference, hosted by New Jersey Future and and the New Jersey chapter of the American Planning Association.
Hispanic Heritage Month and the Growth of New Jersey’s Latinx Population
Wednesday, October 13th, 2021Some of my favorite stories are the ones my grandparents tell me about their journey from Bolivia to the U.S.—about finding their first jobs, struggling to “fit in,” and raising a family of six in a North Jersey suburb. Stories about finding a sense of community in an unfamiliar place.
School district regionalization is an educational quality issue—and a cost-saving issue, and a land-use issue, and a segregation issue
Wednesday, October 13th, 2021New Jersey’s system for delivering public education is particularly fragmented—it averages 28 school districts per county, the most of any state, and averages just under 15,000 residents per district, well below the national average of 23,344. It has more school districts than it has municipalities. This fractionalized landscape contributes to and exacerbates several of the state’s most intractable problems in ways that are not immediately apparent.
All Boats Rise: Investing in Climate Resilience & Communities
Tuesday, June 15th, 2021The science is clear: climate change is here, and its threats are only going to grow more pronounced. But, carefully coordinated efforts can not only protect New Jerseyans from these threats, but can help spur economic activity, as well, making our state that much stronger. That was the message from four senior-level officials from Governor Murphy’s administration at the 2021 Planning and Redevelopment Conference, hosted by New Jersey Future and the NJ Chapter of the American Planning Association.
Single-Family Zoning: An Idea Whose Time Has Passed?
Monday, April 12th, 2021New Jersey should follow Oregon’s and California’s lead and take advantage of the growing national momentum toward zoning reform, to at least begin a discussion about how such reforms might work in New Jersey.
School District Consolidation Is More Than Just a Cost-Saving Measure
Monday, April 12th, 2021Regionalizing school districts could also help increase housing options and make New Jersey a less segregated state.
Continuing Implications of Broadband Inequity
Thursday, February 11th, 2021As we move closer to a full recovery with the rollout of vaccines, we must not lose focus on the issues surrounding broadband access that can hinder our progress towards a “new normal.”
Visualizing an Aging-Friendly Built Environment for Implementation in Ridgewood Village
Tuesday, November 10th, 2020New Jersey Future partnered with the Village of Ridgewood to develop an aging-friendly land use implementation plan, and now a graduate design studio class at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University is helping to move it along.
