Proposed Witherspoon redevelopment project an example of unchecked gentrification

Dear Editor,

The proposed redevelopment of Hillier Properties LLC in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood presents a grave threat to the very fabric of our community. This project, while privately owned, will displace 34 families currently living in Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) housing that serves as one of the last vestiges of affordability in Princeton. These families, many of whom are essential workers, are at risk of losing not just their homes but their place in a town they have contributed to for decades.

Princeton prides itself on being a progressive and inclusive community, yet this redevelopment plan lays bare the glaring contradictions between those values and the realities of unchecked gentrification. Replacing affordable homes with a luxury complex primarily catering to high-income tenants will accelerate the erasure of a historically working-class neighborhood. Worse, the few income-restricted units planned offer no guarantees for displaced tenants to return and are inadequate in size, falling far short of meeting the needs of families.

It is unacceptable for Princeton to allow this kind of displacement without demanding action from Hillier Properties and the municipality to protect these tenants. At a minimum, there must be:

1. A Right to Return: The current tenants should be guaranteed the opportunity to return to affordable units in the new development at rents comparable to what they currently pay.

2. Relocation Assistance: Hillier Properties must provide financial aid and resources to help displaced families secure alternative housing during redevelopment.

3. Stronger Affordable Housing Requirements: The redevelopment plan must prioritize expanding the number of affordable units to meet the housing needs of families, not just individuals.

Witherspoon-Jackson is more than a historic district; it is a living, breathing community that has provided a home for working-class residents for generations. Displacing these families to make way for luxury housing not only violates the principles of equity and inclusion but undermines the very character of Princeton itself.

This redevelopment is not just a private business decision—it is a public moral issue. Princeton must hold Hillier Properties accountable and demand that they address the harm this project will cause to our most vulnerable residents. If we fail to act, we will lose not just 34 homes but a vital part of what makes Princeton a diverse and compassionate community.

Veronica Olivares-Weber 

Ms. Olivares-Weber is a longtime Princeton resident and a former chair of the Princeton Human Services Commission, which was disbanded by the Princeton Council last year.

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2 Comments

  1. Dear Editor,
    I wish to share my perspective on the Hillier Properties Project. I have lived in Princeton since 1982 and know the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood well. I agree with the views of other Princeton residents regarding Latino neighbors as responsible, hard working members of the community. Hillier´s proposal would escalate gentrification in an already historically displaced community due to racism and redlining. The renovations proposed would not benefit the current tenants, exacerbating anxiety about unaffordable cost. This would only promote greater inequality. I am in support of a tenant relocation plan as a condition to the approval of this project.

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