Public engagement is a vital component of any planning project. As online tools become more sophisticated and accessible, planners are starting to use them in greater numbers to help them reach their communities more effectively. But, how do you know which ones to use when and how do you account for all the nuances of projects and locations?

Access to Smart City technologies and applications that high-speed broadband enables has become one of the most critical factors in any community’s economic development, affecting everything from our children’s education, to housing values, enterprise development, and health and welfare services for the poor and elderly. This is especially true in rural America, where access to high-speed broadband underpins any strategy for future economic growth – and is key to overcoming the “digital divide” and economic dislocation that continues to plague many of our small towns and rural communities across the nation.

Save the Date! The Affordable Housing Professionals of New Jersey are excited to once again be hosting a symposium on June 20 at the Metro Top Plaza. Topics include acquiring foreclosed properties, an update on HUD, and extension of controls. Register now a full agenda will be available shortly.

The 2018 New Jersey Sustainability Summit will bring together a unique mix of over 300 diverse participants from the public and private, state and local sectors. This year will highlight state level progress in achieving our collective goals, successful case studies from the ground, our new work in the Gold Star Standard in Water, and more.

As urban populations have grown, the need for sustainable transportation systems is increasingly crucial. Communities must now account for a range of complex factors in their transportation and land-use planning, including mass transit, economic development, livable communities, population density, climate change, alternative energies and more. This webinar explores the concepts behind hind sustainable transportation and provides an overview of successfully applying sustainable transportation principles in Norway. The webinar also covers a program at the University of Washington designed to train planners and engineers to bring a sustainability perspective to all aspects of transportation systems policy and planning.

This workshop is a collaborative effort by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), Sustainable Jersey, the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University, the New Jersey Department of Transportation and Together North Jersey. The full day training opportunity is structured in four discrete sections, giving the participants the ability to make the most efficient use of their time by choosing the content that best meets their needs.

Come out & enjoy a great round of golf at this beautiful & scenic course, and better yet – network with friends & colleagues while supporting the USGBC NJ Chapter.

This session will discuss two parallel arterial corridor planning programs the City of La Crosse undertook in 2017 and how each engaged stakeholders, identified goals and integrated transportation design and desired outcomes with triple bottom line targets in land use planning. Learn how the City worked with consulting teams, engaged citizens and businesses to set the stage for improvements and redevelopment on these aging urban strips.

Keeping volunteers engaged is key to any community planning project that relies on the altruistic investment of its residents. In Florida, AARP has had success in turning core volunteers into viable leaders who help educate local communities about the benefits of planning healthier and livable communities for residents of all ages.

Don't miss a full day of learning, networking, and awards! The DNJ Annual Conference hosts industry experts who will provide insights into downtown management best practices, as well as development, business and retail market trends. AICP CM Credits Pending

Work on The Fourth Regional Plan began by talking with and listening to people from across the region. What the Regional Plan Association heard was that people loved where they live, but they had serious concerns. Housing was too expensive. Commutes were long and unreliable. The destruction brought by Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy underscored the region’s vulnerability to climate change and raised questions about how prepared we were for the storms to come.

The NJLM Conference 2018 rolls out inspiration to plan for the future with a theme of Municipalities Leading the Way. Join 16,000 of your peers in municipal government for an invaluable learning experience which yields benefits throughout the year. With 100+ educational sessions and over 700 exhibitors, November 13-15 will be three eventful days to share ideas, products, and solutions!

As we get ready to close the books on 2018 and ring in the New Year, it is time to focus on what’s ahead for the economy and commercial real estate markets. This is especially timely as the Federal Reserve’s more restrictive fiscal policy seems to be creating a glide path toward slower growth and the next recession, as is already evident in a decelerating housing market which is usually a leading indicator.