Tonight's joint meeting with the Joint Land Use Board, Mayor and Council, and Leah Furey Bruder was set to resume the rehabilitation discussion for the Bradlees site. Leah had returned to work after her maternity leave, and her application to the DVRPC (Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission) on Stratford's behalf has earned the borough $40,000 in grant money that wil be used for the planning for the future of the site.
Eric Schlamowitz, a former employee of UMDNJ, gave his background as an architect, realtor, and now developer and spoke of the work he's done so far on developing the Bradlees site into student housing for the university. While I had proposed the same concept well over a year ago, Eric has gained some insight into UMD's needs for the future. We have an opportunity to tie together the property on the White Horse Pike, UMDNJ, and the surrounding area, which includes the transit hub of PATCO, and NJ Transit's Bus and Train lines across the Pike.
We've got a big possibility sitting in front of us tonight. We have to stop treating the state owned university as an evil empire, and embrace the school as our partner and use them as an asset that we will leverage for the betterment of Stratford.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
I had started and left behind this blog for several reasons, but the initial thought was to to create a tool to help improve the blighted properties in town. If you go through the history here, you'll see some photos I've taken upwards of 3 years ago, and the sad part is nothing has changed. If there has been a change, it's ben for the worse, as Laurel Mills and Bradlees are in worse shape. They will continue to get worse as well. I have changed the focus, since I went from candidate to councilman, and now find that my mission that I set out on, is still unfulfilled.
I really want to change that.
The borough council, on which I proudly serve, has done what they can, but unfortunately, our mayor is unwilling to support the actions taken by council. While the mayor and his allies work hard at discrediting the democratic majority, he has failed to bring anything to the table that we can all get behind, promote and move forward with.
Our part of Camden County is struggling for improvement, and advancement. Much of which was able to happen has happened in Somerdale, and now things are happening in the old shopping center in Clementon.
I will keep at it.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Christie wants changes in housing bill
January 25, 2011
Christie wants changes in housing bill
The Associated Press
Gov. Chris Christie conditionally vetoed an overhaul of the state's affordable-housing law Monday, sending back to the Legislature one of its most persistently vexing issues.
Christie, a Republican, likes the objective of the bill he vetoed: to eliminate the often-maligned state Council on Affordable Housing. The agency is in charge of enforcing affordable-housing policy, drafted in response to a series of court rulings over the last 35 years that found that towns in the high-cost state have to make sure there's room for homes for lower-income people. The concept and the way it's carried out are subject to almost constant litigation.
Earlier this month, lawmakers passed a bill to get rid of COAH and eliminate a 2.5 percent fee on commercial development.
The bill also called for each town to have 10 percent of its housing be affordable to low-‚and moderate-income people.
Christie objected, saying he would allow the bill to become law if the requirement was for 10 percent of new homes, not all homes, to be designated as affordable. He said that towns where no development occurs should not be subject to the regulations.
He also objects to a provision that would require 25 percent of affordable housing to be mixed into inclusionary developments. He says it would increase sprawl too much to require market-rate housing be put up to go along with the lower-cost homes.
Christie also objected to a provision that would require towns to hire one planning firm to create their affordable-housing plans and another to certify that they meet legal requirements.
He said he would accept the bill as the state Senate initially passed it last June. Since then, it was amended to add provisions he says he cannot accept.
Christie wants changes in housing bill
The Associated Press
Gov. Chris Christie conditionally vetoed an overhaul of the state's affordable-housing law Monday, sending back to the Legislature one of its most persistently vexing issues.
Christie, a Republican, likes the objective of the bill he vetoed: to eliminate the often-maligned state Council on Affordable Housing. The agency is in charge of enforcing affordable-housing policy, drafted in response to a series of court rulings over the last 35 years that found that towns in the high-cost state have to make sure there's room for homes for lower-income people. The concept and the way it's carried out are subject to almost constant litigation.
Earlier this month, lawmakers passed a bill to get rid of COAH and eliminate a 2.5 percent fee on commercial development.
The bill also called for each town to have 10 percent of its housing be affordable to low-‚and moderate-income people.
Christie objected, saying he would allow the bill to become law if the requirement was for 10 percent of new homes, not all homes, to be designated as affordable. He said that towns where no development occurs should not be subject to the regulations.
He also objects to a provision that would require 25 percent of affordable housing to be mixed into inclusionary developments. He says it would increase sprawl too much to require market-rate housing be put up to go along with the lower-cost homes.
Christie also objected to a provision that would require towns to hire one planning firm to create their affordable-housing plans and another to certify that they meet legal requirements.
He said he would accept the bill as the state Senate initially passed it last June. Since then, it was amended to add provisions he says he cannot accept.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Legislators approve bill to abolish COAH
From the Courier Post
January 11, 2011
Legislators approve bill to abolish COAH
Associated Press
Lawmakers on Monday passed a measure to overhaul the state's much-maligned affordable-housing laws that have been at the center of a court battle since 1975.
The new measures would abolish the state Council on Affordable Housing, eliminate a 2.5 percent fee on commercial development and reduce some municipalities' obligations to provide housing for low- and moderate-income families.
New Jersey has struggled with how to provide low- and moderate-income housing since the 1975 court case known as the Mount Laurel decision successfully challenged exclusionary zoning in the Garden State.
In a series of decisions in the 1970s and '80s, New Jersey's Supreme Court outlawed zoning aimed at keeping out poor people and required communities to have plans that include space for low-income residents. The state formed the Council on Affordable Housing, or COAH, to oversee that requirement and decide how many affordable homes each town must provide.
But the political and bureaucratic implementation of the court's wishes has been anything but clear-cut.
The rulings set up a system where towns could file affordable housing plans with the state; those that didn't were subject to potential lawsuits from developers and others.
Officials in some communities blame those lawsuits for encouraging suburban sprawl. Meanwhile, mayors in many towns say COAH's oversight of their plans has slowed and in some cases prevented them from building affordable housing.
In May, the council proposed eliminating affordable housing quotas but an appeals court panel ruled in October that the state must return to its practice of providing each municipality with a specific number of required affordable housing units.
The appellate court gave the state five months to develop its new rules on how affordable housing obligations must be allocated.
The measure passed Monday keeps quotas in place but lowers the number required to 50,000 statewide from 116,000 over the next decade.
Most factions thought the bill, while imperfect, was an improvement over the existing law.
Kevin Walsh of the Fair Share Housing Center, which represents the interests of low-income residents, said the bill lets towns shirk their previous affordable housing obligation but was better than previous versions.
"The bill lets many wealthier suburban towns off the hook because it reduces their obligation so much that many will have already met it," Walsh said.
January 11, 2011
Legislators approve bill to abolish COAH
Associated Press
Lawmakers on Monday passed a measure to overhaul the state's much-maligned affordable-housing laws that have been at the center of a court battle since 1975.
The new measures would abolish the state Council on Affordable Housing, eliminate a 2.5 percent fee on commercial development and reduce some municipalities' obligations to provide housing for low- and moderate-income families.
New Jersey has struggled with how to provide low- and moderate-income housing since the 1975 court case known as the Mount Laurel decision successfully challenged exclusionary zoning in the Garden State.
In a series of decisions in the 1970s and '80s, New Jersey's Supreme Court outlawed zoning aimed at keeping out poor people and required communities to have plans that include space for low-income residents. The state formed the Council on Affordable Housing, or COAH, to oversee that requirement and decide how many affordable homes each town must provide.
But the political and bureaucratic implementation of the court's wishes has been anything but clear-cut.
The rulings set up a system where towns could file affordable housing plans with the state; those that didn't were subject to potential lawsuits from developers and others.
Officials in some communities blame those lawsuits for encouraging suburban sprawl. Meanwhile, mayors in many towns say COAH's oversight of their plans has slowed and in some cases prevented them from building affordable housing.
In May, the council proposed eliminating affordable housing quotas but an appeals court panel ruled in October that the state must return to its practice of providing each municipality with a specific number of required affordable housing units.
The appellate court gave the state five months to develop its new rules on how affordable housing obligations must be allocated.
The measure passed Monday keeps quotas in place but lowers the number required to 50,000 statewide from 116,000 over the next decade.
Most factions thought the bill, while imperfect, was an improvement over the existing law.
Kevin Walsh of the Fair Share Housing Center, which represents the interests of low-income residents, said the bill lets towns shirk their previous affordable housing obligation but was better than previous versions.
"The bill lets many wealthier suburban towns off the hook because it reduces their obligation so much that many will have already met it," Walsh said.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
December Council Meeting
Another quiet meeting.
This month marked Ben Angeli's last meeting. Coincidentally, Ben's departure from council is what effectively allowed me to be elected.
We're at the end of the calendar year, and for the borough, it's the end of the fiscal year as well. So far I've seen the budget and have started making my notes and coming up with my questions. We're about $300,000 short right now. So effective government will be about how to save money without cutting services, staff, street lights...
The borough pays for all of the fire hydrants in town. The water company bills the town for over $50,000 per year for the hydrants. OK, so can we take away the hydrants to save money? Great question, but what's the downside - homeowners get their insurance rates based on the distance to the hydrant. Take away the hydrant? Pay more insurance.
This is the last post as council-elect. Next month will be councilman for real.
This month marked Ben Angeli's last meeting. Coincidentally, Ben's departure from council is what effectively allowed me to be elected.
We're at the end of the calendar year, and for the borough, it's the end of the fiscal year as well. So far I've seen the budget and have started making my notes and coming up with my questions. We're about $300,000 short right now. So effective government will be about how to save money without cutting services, staff, street lights...
The borough pays for all of the fire hydrants in town. The water company bills the town for over $50,000 per year for the hydrants. OK, so can we take away the hydrants to save money? Great question, but what's the downside - homeowners get their insurance rates based on the distance to the hydrant. Take away the hydrant? Pay more insurance.
This is the last post as council-elect. Next month will be councilman for real.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
November, 2010 Council Meeting
Tonight's meeting didn't produce much in way of action by the Council. The most important things we saw tonight was the Mayor's reading of the proclamation that acknowledges Veteran's Day. So was it necessary to go through the formalities of proclaiming Stratford in Observance of Labor Day? My answer is yes, of course. Even better was that the veteran's in attendance who stood proudly in front of the town as the mayor read the proclamation. As I grow up and grow older I continue to find humility when I am among my friends, relatives and neighbors that have served our country.
The business section of the meeting was fairly short, we paid our bills and made put a used police cruiser up for sale. The public portion generated as much content as the agenda: A resident wants us to look forward to a new world order, another wants us to remember that we're obligated to do something about redevelopment.
That's a great point, and a big reason why I wanted to become a councilman. I am convinced that our town's potential remains untouched, and we will be able to turn a corner. I hope it's sooner than later, but it will take hard work, commitment, trust and a generous dose of good luck. I hope it wasn't luck that got me elected, but I'll take whatever I can to keep Stratford moving forward.
The business section of the meeting was fairly short, we paid our bills and made put a used police cruiser up for sale. The public portion generated as much content as the agenda: A resident wants us to look forward to a new world order, another wants us to remember that we're obligated to do something about redevelopment.
That's a great point, and a big reason why I wanted to become a councilman. I am convinced that our town's potential remains untouched, and we will be able to turn a corner. I hope it's sooner than later, but it will take hard work, commitment, trust and a generous dose of good luck. I hope it wasn't luck that got me elected, but I'll take whatever I can to keep Stratford moving forward.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Gloucester Twp. among towns plotting redevelopment for when the market rebounds
By James Osborne
Inquirer Staff Writer
The days of developers jumping over one another to turn a farm into a shopping center are long gone.
But Gloucester Township Mayor David Mayer remains optimistic that if he makes the right moves now, the town will see a return to better times.
Mayer, a former assemblyman who works as a lobbyist for Comcast, is doing what many municipal leaders are doing amid this historically dismal real estate market: setting up redevelopment projects for condominiums and golf courses and hoping the market turns around.
"We need to be prepared if and when someone comes in with a plan," he said. "I can't control the market; that's beyond us. But we do have to make our investments as valuable as possible."
A concept that swept U.S. cities in the decades following World War II, redevelopment saw a regional surge again in early 2000s as the government and developers joined forces to build "mixed-use" communities, where young professionals and empty nesters could live, play, and shop.
Fueling the redevelopment wave were many of the same factors driving the larger real estate bubble, said James Hughes, dean of Rutgers' Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy in New Brunswick.
"It may well have been an anomaly," he said. "Many projects that may not have been approved in the 1990s were able to proceed in the 2000-to-2007 period because of rich, seemingly risk-free capital."
A redevelopment cottage industry arose in South Jersey, as consultants and lawyers lined up to advise and shepherd the process through everything from affordable-housing regulations to environmental cleanups of old industrial sites.
Now those who racked up billable hours in the boom are looking for other work.
Ballard Spahr, the prominent Philadelphia law firm, has drastically scaled down its redevelopment practice in New Jersey since eight of its lawyers left to form their own firm in Marlton.
Just a few years ago, Lou Bezich's real estate consulting business, Public Solutions, of Haddonfield, was humming with almost $300,000 in government contracts involving projects such as the White Horse Pike redevelopment and a transit village in Collingswood.
Now the firm is down to a single client, said Bezich, an administrator with Camden County College.
"Nothing will go back to the way it was, in my opinion," he said. "For a while there, the sentiment was if we built it, we'll fill it up."
Even with the downturn in the market, some redevelopment projects continue.
Collingswood Mayor Jim Maley, a lawyer with a prominent redevelopment practice, said he recently signed a deal with Sun Bank to refinance Collingswood's downtown condominium project, which has been scaled back but is set to finish construction after a long delay.
"From my work, I got to tell you, the only projects that are going ahead are redevelopment projects," Maley said.
The latest concept circulating among South Jersey planners is the development of educational and medical facilities, with Camden and Cooper University Hospital being used as a prototype.
The project Mayer is championing in Gloucester Township, in which Camden County College and Cooper are partners, would develop more than 100 acres around a new interchange on the Atlantic City Expressway. It would center on a medical complex to be built by Cooper and border the college, which is in the process of an $83 million campus rehabilitation.
But the loosely defined project, which could include condos and a golf course, has no timeline and is unlikely to start construction anytime soon.
And an antidevelopment sentiment has begun, with former Mayor Cindy Rau-Hatton leading a charge against the town's decision to move away from a town-center concept, which incorporated space for business but also included public space.
Mayer conceded that the scope of the project had changed, but he thought it a necessary concession.
"It is more expansive, but we have to be more expansive in these economic times," he said. "Now we can have a developer come in and tell us what they want to put there."
Contact staff writer James Osborne at 856-779-3876 or jaosborne@phillynews.com.
Inquirer Staff Writer
The days of developers jumping over one another to turn a farm into a shopping center are long gone.
But Gloucester Township Mayor David Mayer remains optimistic that if he makes the right moves now, the town will see a return to better times.
Mayer, a former assemblyman who works as a lobbyist for Comcast, is doing what many municipal leaders are doing amid this historically dismal real estate market: setting up redevelopment projects for condominiums and golf courses and hoping the market turns around.
"We need to be prepared if and when someone comes in with a plan," he said. "I can't control the market; that's beyond us. But we do have to make our investments as valuable as possible."
A concept that swept U.S. cities in the decades following World War II, redevelopment saw a regional surge again in early 2000s as the government and developers joined forces to build "mixed-use" communities, where young professionals and empty nesters could live, play, and shop.
Fueling the redevelopment wave were many of the same factors driving the larger real estate bubble, said James Hughes, dean of Rutgers' Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy in New Brunswick.
"It may well have been an anomaly," he said. "Many projects that may not have been approved in the 1990s were able to proceed in the 2000-to-2007 period because of rich, seemingly risk-free capital."
A redevelopment cottage industry arose in South Jersey, as consultants and lawyers lined up to advise and shepherd the process through everything from affordable-housing regulations to environmental cleanups of old industrial sites.
Now those who racked up billable hours in the boom are looking for other work.
Ballard Spahr, the prominent Philadelphia law firm, has drastically scaled down its redevelopment practice in New Jersey since eight of its lawyers left to form their own firm in Marlton.
Just a few years ago, Lou Bezich's real estate consulting business, Public Solutions, of Haddonfield, was humming with almost $300,000 in government contracts involving projects such as the White Horse Pike redevelopment and a transit village in Collingswood.
Now the firm is down to a single client, said Bezich, an administrator with Camden County College.
"Nothing will go back to the way it was, in my opinion," he said. "For a while there, the sentiment was if we built it, we'll fill it up."
Even with the downturn in the market, some redevelopment projects continue.
Collingswood Mayor Jim Maley, a lawyer with a prominent redevelopment practice, said he recently signed a deal with Sun Bank to refinance Collingswood's downtown condominium project, which has been scaled back but is set to finish construction after a long delay.
"From my work, I got to tell you, the only projects that are going ahead are redevelopment projects," Maley said.
The latest concept circulating among South Jersey planners is the development of educational and medical facilities, with Camden and Cooper University Hospital being used as a prototype.
The project Mayer is championing in Gloucester Township, in which Camden County College and Cooper are partners, would develop more than 100 acres around a new interchange on the Atlantic City Expressway. It would center on a medical complex to be built by Cooper and border the college, which is in the process of an $83 million campus rehabilitation.
But the loosely defined project, which could include condos and a golf course, has no timeline and is unlikely to start construction anytime soon.
And an antidevelopment sentiment has begun, with former Mayor Cindy Rau-Hatton leading a charge against the town's decision to move away from a town-center concept, which incorporated space for business but also included public space.
Mayer conceded that the scope of the project had changed, but he thought it a necessary concession.
"It is more expansive, but we have to be more expansive in these economic times," he said. "Now we can have a developer come in and tell us what they want to put there."
Contact staff writer James Osborne at 856-779-3876 or jaosborne@phillynews.com.
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