Much of the following panel centered around the importance of organizing. With Leyva facilitating, the panel included Housing Advocate Tito Delgado (Cooper Square CLT), Professor James DeFilippis (Rutgers University), Council Member Alexa Aviles (District 38), and Community Organizer Elise Goldin (New Economy Project). The lively discussion explored how commercial leases fund CLTs, the importance of fun in community organizing, and the political significance of land. It also frequently returned to the plight of the NYC Housing Authority–the City’s public housing provider which continues to grapple with the results of decades of disinvestment, increasingly turning to privatization to help fund rehabilitation of its units.
Topic
In the News
NJ’s newly crowded primaries prompt call for ranked choice voting
“The most obvious solution is to adopt ranked choice voting, which also would diminish the power of outside money to propel a single candidate to victory,” said Sass Rubin, the Rutgers professor. “At the very least, the legislature could adopt ranked choice voting for congressional races, which have been attracting the largest numbers of candidates.”
Economy Long-term unemployment is surging in the U.S. There are hidden costs for workers and the economy
Other than the death of a family member or a close friend, this is one of the most devastating things that people face,” said Carl Van Horn, director of the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University. “It’s a very serious health problem and an economic problem.”
These factors may have affected Samsung’s choice to leave NJ for Texas
Samsung is leaving its Englewood Cliffs, NJ headquarters with 1,200 employees headed to Texas. Rutgers Bloustein School professor James Hughes didn’t mince words: “This is a tough deal for New Jersey. New Jersey has to confront this.” Even top schools and transit access “was not enough to keep them.”
Podcast ‘From Campaigns to Classrooms’: Teaching a new generation about advocacy with Bob Sommer
“Lobbying is a fundamental part of the American system,” Sommer emphasized, noting how the mechanics of modern advocacy have continuously shifted alongside tightening state and federal regulations and rapid technological disruptions.
The fastest way to ease the housing crisis? Rent control
Op-ed by Tram Hoang, a senior associate at PolicyLink, a national research and action institute and Mark Paul, associate professor at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. Massachusetts is losing its working families. Not just to...
Do drivers hate bicyclists? US sees an alarming rash of crashes.
“But wider roads are also an invitation for faster car speeds, Von Hagen said. Since the pandemic began, overall speeds have increased, along with reckless driving, she said. “
3 crossing guards killed in 3 years. How a nice job for retirees became frighteningly dangerous.
“It’s one of the most dangerous jobs in municipal government,” said Sean Meehan, research project manager for the New Jersey Safe Routes to School Resource Center at the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University. “We see a lot of bad behavior.”
Montgomery Twp Health Checkup: The Connection Between Municipal Planning & Residents’ Wellbeing
“When I put together the syllabus …, I wanted to make sure the students not only beta tested the specific topics within the toolkits, but also to a place-based analysis. I selected Montgomery, partly because I have worked with them before,” said Dallessio.
New Jersey Announces Star-Studded Celebration Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to turn New Jersey into a destination, not just a transit hub,” said Dr. James Hughes.