As we enjoy these final days of summer it is hard to believe fall is just around the corner. Whether you’re preparing to send kids or grandchildren back to school, or anticipating the final quarter of the year in our professional lives, we’re all mapping out the remainder of 2023. For our part, New Jersey Future has laid the groundwork for an active fall of publicizing and promoting what the future can have in store for all of us with thoughtful management of our lands, proper investment in our infrastructure, and attention to inclusivity throughout all of our projects and endeavors. 

For us, fall also means the 2023 Smart Growth Awards! This year’s projects and individuals run the gamut of interesting and engaging—from transit-oriented development to historic restoration, and an innovative first-of-its-kind preservation plan, our Class of 2023 represents forward thinking and practical know-how. We’re thrilled to honor two outstanding individuals with our leadership award and excited to introduce our first-ever Redevelopment Trailblazer honoree. 

Join us on October 3rd when we convene at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center to celebrate our seven winning projects and three individual honorees. It will be a fantastic evening to network with other private sector, public sector, and community leaders in our state's smart growth and redevelopment community who share our ideals, values, and vision for the future of New Jersey.

Please find more information below on how to buy a ticket to this special event, and see you there! 

From flash flood warnings and commuting delays to mudslides and a state of emergency declaration, New Jersey experienced the latest in the series of anxiety-inducing rain storms last month. Read more.

Learn more about recent floods in NJ as well as the impact Hurricane Ida and chronic flooding are still having throughout the state during the After Ida: How to Tackle New Jersey's Growing Flooding Crisis webinar New Jersey Future is co-sponsoring with NJ League of Conservation Voters and partners. Tune in on August 28 at 6:00 p.m. to hear from Mayor Andrew Nowick from Lambertville, Warren County Commissioner James Kern, Councilman Lee Clark from Phillipsburg, Councilwoman Shaneka Boucher from Camden, and Chair of the Environmental Commission in Willingboro Patricia Lindsey-Harvey. Register today!

“Every decision about transportation is an opportunity to build a clean, healthy, and more prosperous future,” declared Christopher Coes, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) as he provided prepared remarks to open the session “Delivering Walk-Bike-Ride Transportation in New Jersey” at the 2023 NJ Planning and Redevelopment Conference co-hosted by the NJ Chapter of the American Planning Association and New Jersey Future. Read more.

“One thing is clear, equity is furthered by our continued collaboration,” announced Olivia Glenn, Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor for Equity U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2 Office, in her welcoming remarks at the Jersey Water Works and Lead-Free NJ Joint Membership Meeting. Read more from the recap blog by NJF Communications Specialist Sneha Patel to learn more about the opportunities to connect on water issues and look for solutions. New Jersey Future is proud to be a member of both the Jersey Water Works and Lead-Free NJ collaboratives.

Lead Pipes account for 75% of all lead in drinking water exposure. Water systems in New Jersey must replace all lead service lines (LSL) by 2031. Local officials play a very important role in the safety and welfare of all New Jerseyans. Lead service line replacement warrants cross-sector collaboration among local, regional, and state agencies. This periodic primer from the Jersey Water Works (JWW) Lead in Drinking Task Force and LSL Implementation Work Group provides an overview of 10 LSL efficiency measures that local officials need and want to know.

Are you concerned about increased flooding and polluted waterways in your community?

21 New Jersey municipalities, with combined sewer systems, are working on local solutions to reduce the raw sewage discharged into nearby rivers and ocean fronts, as well as street and basement flooding caused by heavy rains and water systems that can’t handle the overflows. Be a part of a network of peers accelerating solutions!

Join the 2023 Sewage-Free Streets and Rivers Campaign’s Community Leadership Action Program. The 2023 program runs from October-December and is open to community members and community leaders in Jersey City, Paterson, and Perth Amboy. If you are from another community, still apply as they are set to expand to other communities in the Winter 2024. Learn more about the program and apply by August 31.

Lead-Free NJ is thrilled to collaborate with PRAC of Southern New Jersey and Paterson Alliance as community hubs. These partnerships will strengthen and expand the work of eliminating lead poisoning through community-driven initiatives.

PRAC (Puerto Rican Action Committee) of Southern New Jersey joined Lead-Free NJ as the community hub in South Jersey. Since 1971, PRAC of Southern New Jersey has delivered educational, health, and social services to low and moderate-income community members in South Jersey. They provide free remediation and/or abatement of lead-based paint hazards in Salem, Cumberland, and Cape May.

Paterson Alliance joined the Lead-Free NJ collaborative as the community hub in Paterson. A coalition of over 100 Paterson-based nonprofit organizations, Paterson Alliance unites nonprofit and community partners to collaborate towards their vision of Paterson as a city of happy, healthy, engaged citizens, living well and participating in creating a vibrant future.

New Jersey Future’s Smart Growth Awards honor projects, plans, and policies across the state that demonstrate smart growth principles in action. The awards shine a spotlight on individuals, businesses, and organizations with the vision to encourage smart growth values and designs. This year’s Smart Growth Awards honors seven incredible winning projects, two Cary Edwards Leadership Award honorees, and an inaugural Redevelopment Trailblazer Award winner.

Learn more about the 2023 winners and join us on October 3 from 5:30–8:30 p.m. at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center to celebrate. Get your tickets today before early bird pricing ends after September 16!

If you are interested in available sponsorship opportunities, please contact Michele Glassburg.

While we have by and large enjoyed moderate temperatures this summer here in New Jersey, save for a few scorchers, there is no question that this summer has presented stark reminders of the growing stressors and damage wrought by climate change in the forms of extreme heat, wildfires, hurricanes, and severe storms. The Maui Wildfire may seem and feel a world away in the Pacific Ocean, but the wildland-urban interface of the island is not all that dissimilar from threats we face here in New Jersey if a major wildfire were to break out in the Pine Barrens, as UCLA weather scientist Daniel Swain observed. Similarly, massive rainfall in the West exposes the poor drainage infrastructure of the region, but also reminds us that we too remain vulnerable to swift-moving storms with increased intensity. 

July brought intense storms to New Jersey, demonstrating once again that our stormwater infrastructure can and will continue to be stressed by strengthened storms. Lindsey Sigmund, our Mainstreaming Green Infrastructure Program Manager, penned an excellent opinion piece that ran in NJ.com and associated newspapers titled: “N.J. needs a flood of funding to weather catastrophic rainstorms.” Sigmund highlights the vital need for us as a state and nation to mind our “invisible infrastructure,” which is often overlooked or underfunded. She also articulates the critical importance of the Inland Flood Rule, which aims at raising our infrastructure and development out of harm’s way to ensure public health and safety. 

National and local instances of extreme weather this summer are warnings for us to properly account for climate change adaptation measures, and to especially include underserved populations throughout New Jersey. Those with the least resources today will remain those most vulnerable in an extreme event, and least capable of fleeing or rebuilding. This is why we must stress the adoption of equity approaches and inclusive planning as we prepare for the increased severity of storms and extreme weather. Only by accounting for the least vulnerable will we as a statewide community ensure the protection of all of our communities.

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.

New Jersey Future has prepared Creating Great Places To Age: A Community Guide to Implementing Aging-Friendly Land Use Decisions to provide communities with a step-by-step process to make designing for the needs of older residents easier.

The New Jersey Stormwater Utility Resource Center is a one-stop shop housing technical, legal, and financial information, case studies, and helpful guidance on stormwater solutions, community process, and public engagement.

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.