The Challenge Facing New Jersey's Suburbs: 'Adapt in Order to Survive'

September 25, 2018

So far this decade, population growth in urban areas in north Jersey has outpaced that of suburban areas, with Hunterdon, Monmouth, Sussex and Warren counties actually losing population between 2010 and 2017, U.S. Census data shows. The reason, according to many experts in planning and demographics, is because many people — including young millennials and aging baby boomers — want to live in vibrant places where they can walk to restaurants and recreation. Those McMansions on multi-acre lots that are a car ride away from everything in many suburbs largely have fallen out of fashion.

“The challenge for the suburbs of New Jersey is that they must adapt in order to survive,” said James Hughes a Rutgers University professor and dean emeritus of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, as he set the scene to open a forum last week on the topic.

NJSpotlight, September 24, 2018

Recent Posts

U. expert reacts to proposed overhaul of New Jersey public records law

On March 14, New Jersey lawmakers temporarily halted their plans to limit the scope of the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), which compels local governments to release public records upon request, according to the Associated Press. After a committee session advancing...

EJB Talks with Professors Joel Cantor and Kathe Newman

Our EJB Talks podcast this week features ⁠Joel Cantor⁠⁠, Distinguished Professor of Public Policy and Director of the ⁠Rutgers Center for State Health Policy⁠ and ⁠Kathe Newman⁠, Professor and Director of the ⁠Ralph W. Voorhees Center for Civic Engagement⁠. They are...

Video: Will We See an End to NJ’s Party Line?

David Cruz talks with Julia Sass Rubin (Bloustein School, Rutgers) about Rep. Andy Kim's party line lawsuit, being an expert witness in the case & history impact of the line.Reporters Colleen O’Dea (NJ Spotlight News), P. Kenneth Burns (WHYY) & Sean Sullivan...

NJSPL – New Jersey’s 2025 Tax Revenue Projections

How New Jersey’s 2025 Tax Revenue Projections Might Affect the Budget Surplus Is the Budget Surplus Safe? Governor Murphy’s recently released FY 2025 budget proposal calls for total appropriations of $55.9 billion, up $1.5 billion (2.7%) from the original FY 2024...

Dean Shapiro: A hidden way politics shapes regulation

Regulations issued by executive branch agencies often get criticized by regulatory opponents as being made by “unelected bureaucrats,” divorced from political pressures and the messiness of democracy. Partly because of that sentiment, the Supreme Court appears poised...

Upcoming Events

Event Series CAREERS

Career Virtual Drop-ins

Virtual

Bloustein Career Development Specialists Cheryl Egan and Andrea Garrido will be in a Zoom Room on Monday's beginning January 22, 2024 (excluding holidays and spring break) to answer questions, provide […]