Princeton Councilman responds to letter to editor about a Witherspoon-Jackson duplex variance
I write in response to a recent letter by Karen O’Connell, Hibben Road, Planet Princeton, June 16th, that attempts to question not only my position but my principles. Let me be clear: I do not shrink from criticism. But I do take issue when people twist history, flatten context, and try to conflate very different neighborhoods and realities to justify their own sense of entitlement.
The writer refers to my objection to a duplex variance in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood as somehow equivalent to her concerns about a 238-unit apartment complex in the Mercer Hill neighborhood. Let’s stop right there.
Witherspoon-Jackson is Princeton’s 20th Historic District—designated not for aesthetic charm or architectural purity, but to preserve the cultural history and survival of Princeton’s historically Black neighborhood. I fought for that district because I lived the racist history of Princeton—redlining, land theft, racial covenants, property revaluation, and the displacement of Black families who built this town and served it for generations.
We didn’t oppose that duplex because of density. We opposed it because it threatened the fabric of a fragile, gentrified neighborhood already under siege. The historic designation—let’s call it what it is: a lifeline—was the only tool left to slow down the erasure of Black presence in Princeton.
Now let’s talk about Mercer Hill.
This is not about preservation—it’s about power. It’s about wealthy residents using historic language to protect their own interests while ignoring broader community needs. Princeton needs more housing. We are in a statewide housing crisis. This complex—yes, including a swimming pool—is about addressing a housing need in an area that can absorb it. The luxury label doesn’t change the truth: this project creates more housing and relieves pressure on other neighborhoods in town.
You don’t get to cherry-pick when growth is acceptable based on ZIP code comfort. You don’t get to weaponize the “language of listening while dismissing my lived experience”, and you certainly don’t get to act as though your version of Princeton is the only one that matters.
If that feels personal—it should. Because it is personal for the countless displaced and misplaced residents who’ve watched Princeton change around them without ever being invited into the conversation—except when it’s time to be blamed.
So, I say to those who would distort the record and rewrite the script: don’t confuse advocacy with hypocrisy. I stand by everything I said, because it comes from a place of hard-earned truth, not privilege disguised as principle.
Princeton’s history is complicated—but some of us have lived that complexity, not just bought into it.
Leighton Newlin
Princeton Councilman
Why does the developer get a PILOT
Why is the affordable housing only for the first x years of the development?
Why can’t the developer pay taxes and offer affordable housing…
It is weird to see the signs that say historic Princeton when no one is talking about the PILOTs and the way that the developers need these huge tax breaks to do the right thing. Why doesn’t the developer follow the rules and price the affordable units into the not affordable rent.. like why dont these landlords and developers have to pay taxes like the rest of us? Ditto for Princeton U and all the very profitable non-profits. Why don’t our local officials withhold ALL municipal services to all the wealthy non profits until they pay their fair share?
Princeton needs low and middle income home ownership, not more rentals.
Yes absolutely
People can accuse others of all sorts of terrible things, but the fact is this is a poorly-conceived, luxury, mega-profit nightmare which will be bad for ALL Princetonians, other than those who stand to get richer.
Do we need more housing and more affordable housing, while ALSO respecting the quality of life for EVERYONE? Of course. No one is saying there should not be housing built on the site in question, only that this particular proposal is a bad one.
The councilman doesn’t seem to understand that those who oppose this project would also oppose a similar project in the Witherspoon neighborhood he so rightly loves. What a pity he seems to want only to pitch neighbors against one another rather than joining to fight for something that would improve life for all.
I Lauren unfortunately you have Leighton all wrong I have known him all my life and he is NOT PITCHING neighbors against each other. So let’s be kind to each other and not assume . Lovingly Lois✌️
I hope I do have him wrong, but the language he chooses in his letter is what it is, and his support for this luxury for-profit project, baffles me.
I’m all for kindness, but found none in his letter.
Let’s just cut through the chase and be crystal clear it’s gentrification and developers getting rich and the black community no longer . you can sugarcoat it, but the whole thing was structured that the blacks that did live in the community can no longer pay the taxes because they skyrocketed and also why did the ZIP Code change the ZIP Code was always 08540 like the rest of PRINCETON and now it’s 08542 to me that tells me it was part of the plan that had been structured for a long time and here we are fast-forward 2025 and look how much the black community has changed. It’s no longer the black community if you want to do stats go back go back to the 1920s and 1930s to forties to 50s and you’ll see it was a black community no Hispanics no Asian , black community, black businesses, black own and now we have gentrification🥲