The Trump administration’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and crackdown clearly have had an impact, making it “much less attractive to come to the United States,” said Rutgers University Professor James Hughes, who studies the state’s demographic trends
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James W. Hughes
New Jersey faces a multibillion-dollar deficit. Leaders say the state can become more affordable by taking specific steps
“There is no magical, painless way of making the state more affordable,” he said. “It took us decades and decades to get us into the position we’re in, and it’s going to take a long time to change things.”
Why this political deal between 2 governors matters for millions of New Jersey and New York commuters
“I think the governor is doing the right thing by having a deputy executive director who should be at the table,” Hughes said of Sherrill.
Saks Fifth Avenue to close American Dream store. Here’s why
All three are in “strong affluent market areas,” said James Hughes, a professor of urban planning and policy development at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.
“So all locations have high market potential for repurposing — demonstrated strong consumer purchasing power,” Hughes wrote in an email.
Livingston Mall is dying. See how NJ malls are reinventing themselves
“The town — if it’s a redevelopment area — is in the driver’s seat,” said James Hughes, a professor of urban planning and policy development at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. “They could acquire the land and totally control it.”
A zombie mall is gasping in North Jersey, hit by a ‘perfect storm’
Urban centers like Newark and Jersey City, as well as downtowns like Ridgewood and Westfield, rebounded in the past decade and drew back dollars that had gone to malls, Hughes said.
By themselves, any one of those factors could have caused malls to struggle, other than the top-tier ones in New Jersey like Garden State Plaza and American Dream…
“Sort of the perfect storm hit,” Hughes said of Livingston Mall.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill criticizes Trump over the possible suspension of the Hudson River rail tunnel project
“The Northeast region’s economy is really dependent on the Northeast corridor, particularly linking Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston,” Hughes said. “Once you stop a project it’s very difficult to start again.”
New Jersey’s business outlook for 2026: What you need to know
“New Jersey has a tough road ahead of it,” Hughes said. “It took a long time for us to move into that negative business position, so I think the road out is going to be long as well.”
Why your mom’s weekly trip to Boscov’s may be saving N.J.’s struggling malls
For young people at the time, malls weren’t just retail spaces but social hubs. Baby boomers treated mall trips as scheduled weekend activities, using malls to discover new styles, browse new merchandise and hang out with friends, according to James W. Hughes, a Rutgers University economist and professor.
Office vacancy issue in New Jersey will only get worse, experts say. Here’s why
“Today that office inventory is between 44 and 34 years of age. All the stuff built then was before the internet, before mobile technology,” Hughes said. “A lot of it was cheaply built. So now we have the aging, obsolete suburban inventory that we have to deal with today.”