Following 5th longest Jeopardy streak, Jamie Ding ’13 returns focus to housing

Jamie Ding ’13 ended his 31-game winning streak on “Jeopardy!” after losing on the April 27 episode. Earlier that day, Ding, a self-proclaimed “faceless bureaucrat” for the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA), spoke alongside New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill to promote a newly signed executive order designed to accelerate housing production. 

Ding was a staffer in the Copy and Multimedia teams of The Daily Princetonian. 

Reflecting on his loss during his 32nd game and the end of his streak, Ding said in an interview with the ‘Prince’ that the whole experience was “bittersweet” and that he “was really grateful for the run.”

In his last game, he faced off and lost against chess international master Greg Shahade.

“I did feel like I was starting to get back into the swing of things, like in the second half of that game, after it was basically too late,” Ding said about the game with Shahade.

However, his success on “Jeopardy!” served as a springboard for Ding, a multifamily and tax credit program administrator at NJHMFA, to speak alongside Sherrill at a news conference promoting the executive order. The executive order outlines steps to identify areas for streamlining housing development in the state. 

At the event, where he was the only non-politician on stage, Ding delivered a short address about the importance of building housing. 

“I’m tempted to try to say something really profound and esoteric, and I guess here it is: housing is good,” Ding said at the news conference. “It’s always time to get to work, but this executive order really signals ‘time to get to work,’ so let’s do it.”

In his own duties at the NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, Ding told the ‘Prince’ that his agency funds “a third of the affordable housing in the state” and is “involved with the regulations governing other affordable housing constructed.”

“We just aren’t going to make New Jersey more affordable if we don’t make housing more affordable,” Sherrill said at the press conference.

The plan stipulates three deadlines for progress to accelerate housing development in New Jersey. By June 11, the Housing Governance Council, which will consist of various state agencies, including NJ Transit and NJHMFA, will convene. By June 27, all New Jersey governmental agencies will be required to submit a report identifying areas where housing development can be streamlined and expanded on state-owned land. Finally, by Sept. 24, the Housing Governance Council will issue suggestions on the topics discussed in the agency reports.

“Like so many New Jerseyans, Governor Sherrill was cheering Jamie on and thrilled to see him break records on ‘Jeopardy!’” wrote Isabella Creatura, a spokesperson for the governor, in a statement to the ‘Prince.’ “Every day, Jamie works to expand housing opportunity for New Jersey families, and he raised awareness on the “Jeopardy!” stage. 

“The governor was honored he joined for the Executive Order signing to continue bringing attention to this crucial issue,” Creatura continued.

Housing development has been a contentious issue in municipalities across the state, including in Princeton. Local groups, including Defend Historic Princeton, have argued that some development plans do not properly respect the historic nature of certain areas, while other groups like Princeton For All have advocated for greater development.

In New Jersey, the Mount Laurel Doctrine, which originates from a series of New Jersey Supreme Court rulings over the past half-century, mandates that each municipality has an obligation to promote the development of its “fair share” of affordable housing.

Jag Davies, Director of Communications for Fair Share Housing, a court-recognized nonprofit that negotiates with municipalities on their affordable housing obligations, noted in an interview with the ‘Prince’ that the executive order would not affect “Princeton’s underlying legal requirements to provide its fair share of affordable housing” but rather “help ensure those homes actually get built more quickly and efficiently.”

When asked about the debate over housing in Princeton and the preservation of historic areas, Ding underscored his support for housing development.

“The world is for the living, and if we build more housing, it’s still going to be Princeton,” Ding said. “It’s another chapter in the story of Princeton and the story of New Jersey and the story of America.”

Benedict Hooper is a staff News writer for the ‘Prince.’ He is from Greenwich, Conn., and can be reached at bh3193[at]princeton.edu.

Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.