Katie Brennan, an affordable housing advocate, is seeking the Democratic nomination on June 10 for LD-32. She is running with Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla on an independent slate called Democrats for the People.
The below responses are her unedited responses to the Better Blocks New Jersey LD-32 questionnaire.
Land Use Reform
1. Do you support statewide zoning reform to allow multi-family housing in areas currently zoned exclusively for single-family homes?
• Strongly Support X
• Support
• Oppose
• Strongly Oppose
Yes. Nearly 90% of residential land in New Jersey is zoned exclusively for single-family homes, making it illegal to build the diverse types of housing that once served working- and middle-class families. New Jersey can look to the success of other state and local zoning reforms, like those in Oregon and Minneapolis.
2. Would you vote to legalize Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) statewide, overriding local bans or restrictions?
• Yes X
• No
Please explain your position: Yes. ADUs like in-law suites and garage apartments are currently illegal or heavily restricted in most New Jersey municipalities despite the many benefits for renters and homeowners alike. They create affordable rental options while helping existing homeowners build wealth and stability through rental income. Jersey City already allows ADUs, and the state should require all municipalities to follow suit. It’s a simple way to create housing stock, help seniors age in place, and legalize practices people are already doing.
3. Would you vote to legalize single-stair buildings statewide, overriding local bans or restrictions? If yes, do you support four-stories or some higher number? If no, why not?
• Yes X
• No
Please explain your position: Yes, I support allowing single-stair buildings up to six stories. New Jersey’s current dual-stair requirement increases construction costs and reduces livable space in small and mid-sized buildings. Throughout Jersey City, Hoboken, and much of the world, single-stair buildings have strong safety records and help create more compact, naturally affordable housing. Thousands of people across this district live in single-stair buildings, and there’s no good reason they should be illegal to build today.
Transit-Oriented Development (“TOD”)
4. Should the state preempt local zoning laws near major transit stations to allow “by-right” development of multi-family or mixed-income housing?
• Yes X
• No
• Depends
Please explain your position: Yes. The state should create special zoning districts around transit hubs that allow multifamily housing “by right” and eliminate mandatory minimum parking requirements. This creates affordable, walkable communities where people can get to their jobs without a car, while helping municipalities meet their Mount Laurel obligations through smart growth planning.
5. A developer has proposed a 1,000 unit (150 designated income-restricted affordable units and 100 workforce units for artists) apartment building at 150 Bay Street in downtown Jersey City. This development would also include a new public school for Kindergarten through Sixth Grade, a public plaza, and no parking spots. Do you support this project? If yes, would you support more projects like this within half a mile of PATH or NJ Transit HBLR stations in (or near) your legislative district?
• Yes X
• No
Please explain your position: Yes. This project is steps away from the PATH station and brings critical green space and public school space to the area (both of which are sorely lacking). The inclusion of parking would likely make the project infeasible while adding more traffic downtown.
I do think that residential permit parking needs to be better enforced in Jersey City. Many new buildings have lots that remain under capacity because residents are able to park on the street (despite local regulations).
6. Would you back legislation that removes minimum parking requirements near transit (within half a mile) to reduce housing production costs and promote TOD?
• Yes X
• No
• Depends
Please explain your position: Same as above. Yes, but this must be in tandem with enforcement so that buildings without parking do not bring residents with cars that park on the street.
7. Should the state provide funding or tax credits for municipalities that adopt pro-housing zoning reforms near transit?
• Yes
• No
• Depends X
Please explain your position: It depends. If the state can find ways to reform zoning laws and allow for transit-oriented development without any incentives or delays, the state should prioritize those policies first. If this proves difficult, then the state should use carrots to incentivize zoning reforms – but the details matter. I am wary of inefficient tax credit programs like ASPIRE, which generate only 20 cents on the dollar. Direct funding to municipalities, while less politically popular, is much more efficient than developer tax credits. In places like Jersey City and Hoboken, where we have high demand near transit, developments should be economically viable without additional state incentives.
Housing Affordability and Public Land Use
8. Do you support ending the 30-year exemption on rent control for new rental buildings?
• Yes X
• No
• Depends
Please explain your position: Yes I do. Hudson County is the release valve for New York City, and demand for housing here is extremely strong, which means we can handle this type of policy without deterring new construction. We need to balance immediate relief for renters facing displacement with longer-term reforms to increase housing supply. Right now, we have families seeing rent increases of 20, 30, even 40 percent year over year, and we can’t ignore this crisis while waiting for supply-side solutions. I support reducing the exemption to a more reasonable 10-15 years, similar to Oregon’s model, which would still provide developers with substantial returns while ensuring tenants eventually get protections. This policy should be paired with other reforms to address both immediate displacement and long-term supply needs.
9. Do you support defining what “unconscionable” means with respect to rent increases?
If yes, how – or at what rate – would you define the term “unconscionable” and if no, why not?
• Yes X
• No
• Depends
Please explain your position: Yes, I support defining “unconscionable” rent increases. Currently, New Jersey prohibits unconscionable rent increases without any clear legal standard, leading to inconsistent court rulings and tenants foregoing court due to high costs and uncertain outcomes. I would define this through parameters that judges could use, such as Consumer Price Index, local property tax changes, major repairs needed, and insurance rates, rather than a hard percentage that could invite landlords to raise rents just below the threshold.
10. Do you support using surplus state or local land (such as government-owned parking lots, disused buildings, etc.) to build affordable or mixed-income housing?
• Strongly Support X
• Support
• Oppose
• Strongly Oppose
Please explain your position: Strongly support. We need to make sure public land serves the public good, and converting underutilized government properties into affordable housing is both fiscally responsible and addresses our housing shortage. This aligns with smart growth principles by utilizing existing infrastructure for in-fill development.
11. Do you support banning institutional ownership of single-family homes or multi-family homes under four units?
• Strongly Support
• Support X
• Oppose
• Strongly Oppose
Please explain your position: Yes for single family homes, but the specifics matter so there are no unintended consequences that may limit the housing supply or increase rents further. We need to make sure institutional investors aren’t distorting local housing markets so first-time homebuyers have a fair chance to compete.
12. Would you support funding a state-led expansion of the housing choice voucher program to give low-income residents more housing choice?
• Strongly Support X
• Support
• Oppose
• Strongly Oppose
Please explain your position: Strongly support. Housing vouchers provide immediate relief to families with low incomes and give them choice in where to live, promoting economic mobility and reducing residential segregation. However, vouchers only work if there’s adequate housing supply, which is why we also need production.
13. Would you vote for legislation requiring municipalities to meet minimum housing production targets, including affordable housing, as a condition of receiving certain state funds?
• Yes X
• No
• Depends
Please explain your position: Yes. The state needs to use the leverage it has to incentivize better planning and more housing, and municipalities shouldn’t be rewarded for blocking housing development through exclusionary zoning. Taxpayer dollars should be targeted to support communities committed to addressing our housing crisis and not those making it worse.
14. If you had to choose between an expansion of state-led housing choice voucher program and funding the production of affordable housing units, which would you choose?
• Housing choice voucher
• Affordable housing production X
Please explain your position: Affordable housing production. While vouchers provide immediate relief, we need more housing units to address our shortage. More affordable housing production would do more to create long-term affordability in the broader housing market, though ideally we’d fully fund both programs.
15. Would you vote for legislation that bans junk fees in rental agreements like broker fees statewide?
• Yes X
• No
• Depends
Please explain your position: Yes. Broker fees and other junk fees are often hidden and create additional barriers to housing for renters who are already struggling with high costs.
16. Would you vote for legislation that bans applications like RealPage from aggregating rental price data?
• Yes X
• No
Please explain your position: Yes. Rent-setting algorithms like RealPage enable landlords to collude on rents, artificially inflating prices beyond what market conditions would support. This technology undermines fair competition and hurts renters.
Green Space, Resilience, and Smart Growth
17. Should new development projects be allowed to build more densely if they fund or provide nearby public green space or parks?
• Yes X
• No
• Depends
Please explain your position: Yes. Density bonuses that provide public amenities like parks create win-win scenarios – more housing plus community benefits and open space. This approach helps create vibrant, livable neighborhoods.
18. Do you support the Caven Point Protection Act for Liberty State Park?
• Yes X
• No
Please explain your position: Yes. Liberty State Park and Caven Point should be protected from development. I have long supported Friends of Liberty State Park and have not taken money from anyone trying to privatize or develop the park.
19. Would you support legislation that prohibits the use of any state park as a venue for professional sports and protects all state parkland from commercial development and stadium construction?
• Yes X
• No
• Depends
Please explain your position: Yes. Commercial development and sports stadiums have plenty of other appropriate locations without compromising public parks.
Street Safety and Highway Policies
20. If elected, will you champion or co-sponsor legislation that advances Vision Zero statewide?
• Yes X
• No
Please explain your position: Yes. Every traffic death is preventable, and we need comprehensive policies that prioritize safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. Mayor Bhalla’s success in Hoboken proves Vision Zero works.
21. How would you describe your position to the New Jersey Turnpike Extension highway widening and replacement program?
• Strongly Support
• Support
• Oppose
• Strongly Oppose X
Please explain your position: Strongly oppose. This $11 billion project will increase traffic, pollution, and flooding in Hudson County while failing to address our real transportation needs. I’ve been actively opposing this project at rallies and public meetings since before running for office. This money would be better spent on improving our public transit infrastructure and funding capital projects like the proposed Hudson Bergen Light Rail extensions.
22. Would you introduce or sponsor legislation that allows the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to implement dynamic, demand-based variable tolling (commonly referred to as “HOT Lanes”) for express lanes on I-78, Garden State Parkway, and the New Jersey Turnpike?
• Yes X
• No
Please explain your position: Yes, especially for the Turnpike and I-78 as they include a large percentage of out-of-state and commercial drivers. Variable pricing can help manage traffic flow and generate revenue for transit improvements. However, any implementation must include strong transparency requirements and public oversight.
23. Do you support New York’s Congestion Pricing?
• Yes X
• No
Please explain your position: Yes. Congestion pricing reduces traffic and funds transit improvements that New Jersey residents benefit from. Roughly 9 out of 10 commuters into downtown Manhattan take public transportation, and even those who drive benefit from fewer cars on the road. Governor Murphy’s decision to reject $100 million annually from New York was a missed opportunity to improve our transit system. By fighting this in court, we still have congestion pricing and we have no money to fund our own transit agencies.
24. If any group, organization, or continuing political committee that supports or benefits from the Turnpike Extension were to support your campaign directly or indirectly, would you return the money and disavow the support?
• Yes X
• No
Please explain your position: Yes. I am not seeking or accepting donations from the contractors and groups supporting the Turnpike expansion. Independence from these donors is essential if we want lawmakers who will be effective advocates against it.
Public Transportation Access & Affordability
25. Would you support reallocating funds from highway expansion projects to enhance public transportation infrastructure and services?
• Yes X
• No
• Depends
Please explain your position: Yes. Highway expansion like the Turnpike widening generates more traffic and pollution, while mass transit improvements move more people and take cars off the road. Budgets are about priorities, and we’ve prioritized cars over people and public transit for far too long. We need to have a fix-it-first approach to road infrastructure instead of expanding and widening roads.
26. Would you support incentivizing Hudson County and local municipalities with state funding to implement bus rapid transit lanes for NJTransit on select county or local roads like John F. Kennedy Blvd?
• Yes X
• No
Please explain your position: Yes. BRT provides faster, more reliable service than regular buses at lower cost than rail. The state should fund and incentivize these types of projects for easy, low-cost, short-term wins, while paving the way for future light rail expansions.
27. Do you support the implementation of the Corporate Transit Fee—a 2.5% tax on corporations with net incomes over $10 million—as a dedicated funding source for NJ Transit?
• Yes X
• No
• Depends
Please explain your position: Yes. Large corporations benefit from our transit infrastructure with easy access to employees and customers alike. A modest fee on high-profit corporations provides dedicated transit funding while avoiding regressive taxes on working families. And by targeting only the most profitable companies, we know that they will remain incredibly profitable even with the fee in effect.
28. If you had to choose between transferring funding from 1) the New Jersey Turnpike Authority / NJDOT highway fund, 2) implementing a corporate transit fee, or 3) raising the sales tax to fund transit, which policy would you implement? You may only choose one.
• Option 1 X
• Option 2
• Option 3
Please explain your position: Option 1 – transferring from highway funds, assuming each option provides equal funding. We’re already spending billions on highway expansion that makes our transportation problems worse. Redirecting these funds to transit provides immediate resources without new taxes while better serving our transportation needs.
Commitment to Urban Vitality Issues
29. Will you meet with Better Blocks New Jersey to shape legislation and priorities in Trenton?
• Yes X
• No
30. Is there anything else we should know about your policies regarding housing, transit, street safety, or public parks?
As a housing policy expert who has worked at every level of government, I’m committed to championing policies that will address the housing crisis and bring down the cost of renting, buying, and building naturally affordable homes in New Jersey. I not only understand the nuances of housing policy but have unique experience implementing housing programs, and I’m ready to bring this expertise to Trenton.
My housing platform includes many of the comprehensive reforms referenced here as well as others like social housing pilots, supportive housing, and regional planning. I’m committed to treating this office as a full-time position with regular town halls and an accessible district office, and I’m always happy to discuss any ideas or recommendations you may have.
Candidate Information
Candidate Name: Katie Brennan
Campaign Name: Democrats for the People
One response to “Katie Brennan Takes the Better Blocks Candidate Questionnaire”
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