November 2003

Dear Friend,

We are delighted to present you with “The Redevelopment Handbook: A Guide to Rebuilding New Jersey's Communities,” a joint publication of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and the New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association.

Whether in a city, a suburb or in a rural town, we all expect our communities to provide us with the quality of life that we want, need and deserve - a community that makes us feel “at home.”

As New Jersey's communities begin to show their age, redevelopment is becoming an increasingly important means of physical and economic sustainability. Reversing the problems caused by years of disinvestment can take years. Communities that want to replace vacant or underutilized properties with attractive ratables know that it requires a carefully orchestrated plan, long-term financing, public support and intergovernmental cooperation to design and implement a successful transformation.

“The Redevelopment Handbook” provides a practical, “how-to” guide to redevelopment that assists New Jersey's municipalities navigate through a complex constitutional, statutory and regulatory process. Within these pages you will find explanations of New Jersey redevelopment laws, the pros and cons of numerous redevelopment strategies, and illustrations of local case studies.

We hope you find it to be a valuable resource in learning more about the redevelopment process, and preserving our state for future generations.

Together, we can make New Jersey a better place to live, work and play.

Sincerely,

James E. McGreevey Governor State of New Jersey	Susan Bass Levin Commissioner Department of Community Affairs