Council confirms Arch Liston as Trenton housing and economic development director

The Trenton City Council on Jan. 7 approved a resolution consenting to the appointment of Arch Liston as director of Housing and Economic Development for the city of Trenton.

The vote followed remarks by Mayor Gossior, who described Liston as the strongest candidate after consulting with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and screening applicants. “He reestablished a clear process for developers to obtain permits in a timely manner,” Gossior said, adding that Liston “addressed the large accumulation of planning and zoning board applications that have been built up over time.”

Council members asked about hiring and past allegations. Councilwoman Williams asked how many applicants the administration received; the mayor replied there were four. Councilwoman Cranbrook raised that “there’s been newspaper articles, social media exploitation” about pending litigation concerning Liston; the mayor said an independent investigation found the allegations “not substantiated.” City attorney Palmer Richardson and the law department confirmed the matter had been sent to outside counsel and that, to the council’s knowledge, there was no outstanding action.

In remarks tied to Liston’s nomination, the mayor and Liston outlined near-term economic development priorities. Gossior and Liston identified Robling Block 2, described as a roughly seven-acre tract spanning the east and south wards, as a major development opportunity. The mayor also said city officials are discussing a potential redevelopment of an Enterprise Avenue parcel, and that Liston is working with the Economic Development Authority and prospective developers on the downtown hotel to secure a buyer and focus investment on renovations rather than carrying city-held debt. The mayor said Trenton received $4 million from a local acquisition fund to help acquire the hotel if necessary.

Council members pressed on demolition funding and reimbursements from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA). Gossior said HMFA operates a reimbursement program that requires an initial outlay and that the city has “a little less than $9,000,000” in HMFA reimbursement authority but must front costs for demolition work; he described HMFA’s process as “overly elaborate” and cited an example where HMFA declined to reimburse the city for demolition of fire-damaged houses because preapproval had not been documented.

Council members asked about staffing in the HED department; the mayor and Liston said they have hired or plan to hire planners and program staff to reduce a backlog of planning and zoning applications and to support larger upcoming projects. The administration said additional planning and construction staff will be needed as redevelopment projects advance.

The confirmation came after a motion to approve the resolution; roll-call votes were recorded in favor. Council President Gonzales called the motion carried.

The council and administration agreed to continued oversight: council members asked that Liston provide regular updates and suggested forming a redevelopment subcommittee to receive monthly briefings on key projects.

Votes at a glance Resolution consenting to appointment of Arch Liston as director of Housing and Economic Development for the City of Trenton — Approved (unanimous roll call)

Why it matters The appointment places an official who the mayor says has experience clearing permit backlogs and handling planning applications into a role tied to the city’s major redevelopment efforts. Council questions and the administration’s answers highlight funding constraints for demolitions, anticipated staffing needs, and a list of priority redevelopment sites that could shape Trenton’s near-term land-use agenda.

What’s next The administration said it will continue meetings with developers and HMFA and provide the council with updates; council members asked for monthly briefings and follow-up on staffing and funding for demolition and redevelopment projects.