Ahead of the gubernatorial election, RPA’s new publication lays out the top planning priorities across housing, transportation, and the environment
TRENTON, NJ — SEPTEMBER 11, 2025 — The Regional Plan Association (RPA) today announced the release of their “Planning Priorities for New Jersey’s Next Governor”--a comprehensive set of priorities and recommendations to help guide the efficacy of the next New Jersey gubernatorial administration. As a new Governor prepares to lead New Jersey into its next chapter, RPA’s ambitious but achievable policy actions would help secure a more resilient, equitable, and prosperous future for all New Jerseyans. Each planning priority (bulleted below) is also paired with specific, actionable policy recommendations to help achieve them. The recommendations draw from RPA’s Fourth Regional Plan and reflect decades of research on sustainable, competitive, and livable growth for the Garden State.
“The built environment shapes the fabric of our everyday lives,” said Zoe Baldwin, Vice President for State Programs. “When the next administration strengthens these often-invisible foundations, New Jerseyans will feel the impact directly through more affordable homes, more reliable commutes, and healthier communities.”
Top-line priorities from RPA include:
“New Jersey’s next Governor will need to address policy issues and craft solutions that serve not only our residents, businesses and communities, but also the larger metropolitan region that New Jersey is part of,” said Tom Wright, President and CEO of RPA. “The planning priorities and policy recommendations in this report can help the next Governor create the transportation, energy, and housing future we need.”
“From the daily struggles of housing prices and an unreliable transit network to the long-term effects of climate change, New Jersey’s next Governor will have no shortage of challenges,” said Kate Slevin, Executive Vice President. “This agenda provides a roadmap to help address key issues facing residents and improve quality of life for everyone.”
For more information on the New Jersey Gubernatorial Planning Priorities and recommendations, please view the publication here: Planning Priorities for New Jersey’s Next Governor.
CONTACT: Sam Bowden Akbari, PhD [email protected]
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About Regional Plan Association
Regional Plan Association (RPA) is an independent non-profit organization that conducts research, planning and advocacy to expand economic opportunity, environmental resiliency, improved health, and better quality of life in the New York metropolitan area. Since the 1920s, RPA has produced four landmark plans for the region. The most recent was released in November 2017. For more information, please visit www.rpa.org.
