Published: November 21, 2011

Sustainable planning in New Jersey just got a big boost from the federal government.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has given $5 million to the North Jersey Transportation Authority region, one of 29 grants awarded under the highly competitive Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant program. The grant means that both sides of the Hudson River are now working with HUD and other agencies in the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities to help towns and regions improve their economic competitiveness by connecting housing with good jobs, quality schools and transportation.

Last year, a consortium of cities, counties and regional planning organizations in New York and Connecticut, including RPA, received one of the initial Sustainable Communities grants (www.SustainableNYCT.org).

The North Jersey Sustainable Communities Consortium project will develop a regional plan for sustainable development for northern New Jersey. The plan will use sustainability, transit-system connectivity and transit-oriented-development as the central framework for integrating plans, regulations, investments, and incentive programs at all levels of government to bring jobs and create more economic-development opportunities in the area. The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University will serve as the administrative/fiscal agent for the grant.

Regional Plan Association is one of a number of partners on the grant, including NJTPA, NJ TRANSIT, the New Jersey Office of Planning Advocacy, the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, the Municipal Land Use Center at the College of New Jersey, NJ Future, the New Jersey Regional Coalition and PlanSmart NJ.

"We are thrilled to be a partner in this critical effort in New Jersey," said Bob Yaro, president of Regional Plan Association. "Through our participation, we will help connect efforts on both sides of the Hudson River to benefit the entire tri-state region."