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As we reach the midpoint of the year, I am thrilled to share some of New Jersey Future’s recent accomplishments and ongoing initiatives that are shaping the future of our state.
Firstly, we successfully co-hosted the NJ Planning and Redevelopment Conference along with the American Planning Association-NJ Chapter. The hybrid event drew over 900 attendees. This event brought together thought leaders, policymakers, and community members to discuss and strategize on pressing issues in New Jersey. We are excited to continue the conversation—several blog posts can be found in this newsletter for further reading on our website, offering valuable perspectives for those who could not attend or those looking for a refresher.
A highlight of this year’s conference was a Gubernatorial Candidates Roundtable, featuring four declared candidates from both major parties. In partnership with NJ Spotlight News, this roundtable aired live online via livestream and throughout NJPBS. This event provided a platform for gubernatorial candidates to present their visions for New Jersey’s future, addressing critical topics such as housing, infrastructure, transportation, climate resilience, and economic development. The roundtable garnered significant attention, drawing an online audience of over 2300 online viewers, not counting the tens of thousands who watch PBS. It was a pivotal moment for civic engagement, ensuring that the public is well-informed about the candidates’ plans and priorities as we look ahead to 2025. We have already started putting together our 2025 gubernatorial policy priority platform.
New Jersey Future is actively pushing for three critical Budget Resolutions before the budget deadline at the end of this month. Two of these resolutions focus on water issues, aiming to secure necessary funding for clean water initiatives and the establishment of a water center at a state university. The third resolution seeks to fund the development of Capital Park, a project of statewide significance that promises to enhance urban green space right here in Trenton. We have issued action alerts for all three resolutions and encourage everyone to get involved and make their voices heard – more below.
Our successes are a testament to the dedication and passion of our supporters, partners, and the entire New Jersey Future team. Together, we are making strides toward a more sustainable, equitable, and vibrant New Jersey. Thank you for your continued support.
Peter Kasabach
Executive Director
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As someone who shares New Jersey Future’s commitment to smart growth and sustainable urban redevelopment and meaningful investment in our water infrastructure, we’re asking you to support a series of budget resolutions to shape next year’s state budget. | |
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Last year, the Legislature and Governor allocated money for the planning and design of this urban green space after we delivered a petition with 800 signers. This year, we aim to secure a $10 million appropriation for the park’s construction. Please share our message and encourage support for Senator Shirley Turner’s Budget Resolution #4186 by encouraging your members to send a letter to the Governor and State Legislature.
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The Governor’s proposed SFY25 budget cuts $12 million in critical water infrastructure funding to the State Revolving Fund. State resources are needed to match federal water infrastructure funding administered by the New Jersey Water Bank and to provide planning and design grants and principal forgiveness for capital improvement projects for disadvantaged communities in the NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s technical assistance program. Send a letter to your legislator and ask them to co-sponsor Senator Turner’s Budget Resolution No. 4683 and restore the State Revolving Fund funding to $60 million to secure the match for federal funding.
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New Jersey needs a Water Infrastructure Center at an institute of higher education to achieve its goal of improving our aging infrastructure. The center will bring together data, applied research, and cross-disciplinary stakeholders to accelerate infrastructure solutions and connect all water stakeholders—consumers, utilities, regulators, and advocates—to easily accessible water metrics. Call your legislator to co-sponsor Senator Greenstein’s Budget Resolution No. 4101 appropriating $5 million for the establishment of a Water Infrastructure Center at an institute of higher education.
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As the nation’s most densely populated state, New Jersey packs in more people per square mile than anywhere else. Our most vibrant cities and towns include compact, walkable downtowns and active streetscapes—complemented by accessible greenways and trails for recreation, a respite from urban life, and healthy, carbon-free travel. But being the Garden State, we can do so much more. Read more. | |
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“We collectively work towards a future where every resident in New Jersey has access to clean, safe, and lead-free drinking water by fostering collaboration and sharing knowledge through innovation,” declared Richard Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water, as he opened the lead service line replacement session at the 2024 Planning and Redevelopment Conference. Read more. | |
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New Jersey Future and APA New Jersey thank all who participated in the fourth annual NJ Planning and Redevelopment Conference. Your presence, insights, and support made this event a remarkable success, which featured 37 sessions over three days, 175 speakers, and over 900 attendees.
We look forward to seeing you again next year! Save the dates for 2025: June 11-12 virtually and June 13 at the Hyatt Regency New Brunswick.
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We want to hear from you! New Jersey Future touches on a number of issue areas, and we’d like to know more about what you want to know about. By taking this brief survey you will share with NJF additional information that will help us tailor future newsletters, call to actions, reports, and more directly to your interests. Help us better understand our audience by taking the survey! | |
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June 26: Join Jersey Water Works at 10:00 a.m. for a free webinar to learn directly from New Jersey Office of Emergency Management about funding opportunities available to communities through FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. Register today!
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Various Dates June-July: The Mercer County Action Team (MCAT) and the Trenton Green Team are kicking off a new initiative called the Trenton Walks program. Its goal is to promote the trails in Trenton by getting more people walking on them. Join a walk!
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July 17: All are welcome to attend the 2024 joint Membership Meeting with Jersey Water Works and Lead-Free NJ. Engage with water leaders, advocates, decision-makers, and community champions from 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. at Montclair State University. Registration is free but required.
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October 22: Save the date! The 2024 Smart Growth Awards will be hosted at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center from 5:30–8:30 p.m. Stay tuned for an announcement of the award winners and registration details.
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Smart Growth for Everyone | |
Smart Growth is equitable growth. It is also restorative, as smart growth and redevelopment can help correct systemic racial and economic disparities. As New Jersey Future drives land use decision-making toward more equitable outcomes, we will be sharing useful resources and lessons in this monthly spotlight. Please give us your feedback and share with us any particularly insightful articles, talks, events, or videos that you come across. | |
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This month we observe Pride Month and Juneteenth in New Jersey. As a state, we have played critical roles in LGBTQ and Black history; as New Jersey Future we recognize the importance of the past—and those who came before us—in shaping the future.
In our Pride Edition of What’re We’re Reading, we highlighted a number of Pride celebrations across the state, and drew our readers back to the role Atlantic City has played in increasing the mainstream acceptance of the gay community, and in particular drag performers. While the Miss America Parade had been well established since 1921, by the mid-1970s, New York Avenue became a central viewing point for the parade, in part due to the concentration of gay bars that would host pre- and after-parties during the festivities. A notable local drag performer came up with the “show us your shoes” chant, which led contestants to pay increasing attention to their footwear to reveal to revelers. Later, the Miss America Pageant adopted “Show Us Your Shoes” as the official name of the parade by the 1990s. Read more: “Atlantic City's LGBT community influenced Miss America parade's evolution” (The Press of Atlantic City)
Currently, Trenton is gearing up for Art All Night on June 29-30. Behind the New Jersey Future office we are getting a new mural that celebrates Trenton Black Music, to be completed during the annual event. The new mural will depict Trenton jazz trumpeter Michael Ray, who got his start performing with Philly artists before joining the Sun Ra Arkestra. Ray was a key player in the last iteration of the Arkestra. He is married to Laranah Phipps Ray, a member of the Phipps Family, Newark's 1st Family in Jazz, with whom he continues to collaborate. Stop by the New Jersey Future office during Art All Night to see the muralist’s progress of Trenton native, Michael Ray!
|  | Muralist Dean Innocenzi (@basedrasta) puts the finishing touches on a new mural honoring Trenton jazz trumpeter Michael Ray behind New Jersey Future offices, June 24, 2024. | |
New Jersey Future in the News | | |
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This periodic primer from the JWW Lead in Drinking Water Task Force provides key information on how lead pipes can be replaced quickly, cost-effectively, and with community support.
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Guide to Local Climate Change Adaptation Planning
Working with the NJDEP, Sustainable Jersey, and statewide partners, NJF led development of the Guide to Local Climate Change Adaptation Planning, providing a model Climate Change-Related Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (CCRHVA) and planning process for New Jersey Municipalities that satisfies the requirements of the 2021 MLUL amendment.
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New Jersey Stormwater Retrofit Best Management Practices Guide
NJF partnered with Princeton Hydro to create a New Jersey Stormwater Retrofit Best Management Practices Guide. This guide provides municipalities, counties, nonprofit organizations, developers, and property owners the tools to identify opportunities to retrofit existing stormwater BMPs and install new stormwater BMPs in built-out environments.
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The Developers Green Infrastructure Guide 2.0 breaks down New Jersey’s Stormwater Rule amendments and helps developers and decision-makers more clearly understand green infrastructure options and advantages, compare alternatives, and evaluate costs and benefits.
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Founded in 1987, New Jersey Future is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes sensible and equitable growth, redevelopment, and infrastructure investments to foster healthy, strong, resilient communities; protect natural lands and waterways; increase transportation choices beyond cars; provide access to safe, affordable, and aging-friendly neighborhoods; and fuel a strong economy for everyone. New Jersey Future does this through original research, innovative policy development, coalition-building, advocacy, and hands-on strategic assistance. Embracing differences and advancing fairness is central to New Jersey Future’s mission and operations. New Jersey Future is firmly committed to pursuing greater justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion through its programs, internal operations, and external communications. | | | | |
