Chris Sturm

Why PCH? Why were you interested in joining the PCH Board and working for affordable housing in Princeton?

My family experienced firsthand how PCH enriches the town when our kids befriended classmates who lived at Princeton Community Village. We benefited from getting to know more people from different backgrounds. Fond memories include fun playdates and a thoughtful Bunn Drive dad who delivered hot chocolate to Girl Scouts shivering on a chilly camping trip. 

Around the same time, I became buddies with two single moms who lived in market-rate units at Griggs Farm. Later I realized how those housing options, created by PCH, enabled them to buy a home in Princeton.

I’m honored to represent my congregation, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, and advance the mission of both organizations.

What is your professional background?

I recently retired after a 25-year career advocating for land use and infrastructure policies that underlie sustainable communities in New Jersey. 

At the nonprofit organization, New Jersey Future, I spearheaded collaborative efforts to champion affordable housing in great neighborhoods and to update the state’s water infrastructure, as well as to advance better land use planning, climate resilience, and active transportation. My approaches included convening diverse public, private, and NGO interests, conducting policy research, running advocacy campaigns, and raising foundation funding to hire teams and launch programs.

How long have you been in the Princeton area?

My husband and I began our married life in Princeton 40 years ago when he started working at the University. We lived in Montgomery Township for eleven of those early years, until I realized that we had to drive everywhere, and almost all of the adults and children we knew looked just like us.

Our family moved to Princeton, where we have enjoyed friends and neighbors from a variety of backgrounds and ethnicities, as well as a walkable, bikeable community.

What are your hobbies and interests?

I love to explore places–around the block and around the world–by walking, hiking, biking, and riding transit. My favorite guilty pleasures are reading a novel or the news with a mug of coffee or ice cream. I also enjoy bringing friends and family together.