Heyer, Gruel and Associates

What Heyer, Gruel and Associates does

Heyer, Gruel & Associates (HGA) is a privately-held community planning consulting firm founded in 1970 and headquartered at 236 Broad Street in Red Bank, New Jersey. The firm operates with 1–10 employees and is led by two principals — Fred Heyer (PP, AICP, CUD, LEED-AP ND, CNUa) and Susan S. Gruel (PP) — each carrying more than 30 years of New Jersey planning experience. HGA provides eight interconnected service lines: redevelopment planning, master/vision plans, farmland and open space preservation, urban design and form-based codes, affordable housing compliance, strategic and economic development plans, neighborhood plans and zoning studies, and sustainability and resiliency services (including Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments under the 2021 Municipal Land Use Law amendment).

The firm's underlying technology stack is traditional for the planning profession: GIS-based mapping and analysis, LEED sustainability assessment, form-based code drafting frameworks, and structured public-outreach methodologies. HGA does not develop software products; it delivers expertise through professional consulting engagements. Underlying technical differentiators are domain-specialization depth (NJ-specific COAH affordable housing process since the 1980s, NJDEP and State Agriculture Development Committee procedures) and methodology IP such as post-Superstorm Sandy strategic recovery reports.

HGA's business model is project-based professional services revenue, earned through direct consulting engagements with municipal clients (cities, boroughs, townships, towns, villages, counties) and selective private-sector clients throughout New Jersey. The go-to-market is relationship-led and referral-driven, leveraging the principals' teaching roles at Rutgers University, professional seminar participation, publication contributions, and a project portfolio showcased on hgapa.com. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The customer base is concentrated in New Jersey municipal governments, with at least 23 distinct government entities in the portfolio and approximately 30 municipalities currently served on Fourth Round affordable housing obligations. Award-winning engagements include the Hoboken Housing Authority Redevelopment Plan (1,354 units, 2024 NJ Future Smart Growth Award) and the Moorestown Mall Redevelopment Plan (2023 NJ APA Innovation in Planning Award).

Name

Heyer, Gruel and Associates

Legal name

Heyer, Gruel & Associates

Website

https://hgapa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Heyer, Gruel & Associates is a privately-held New Jersey community planning consulting firm, founded in 1970 and led by two principals with 30+ years of experience, serving municipal governments with master plans, redevelopment, affordable housing, and sustainability services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Planning Consulting Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

Keywords

• Community planning consulting
• Master plan services
• Affordable housing planning
• Urban design consulting
• Sustainability resiliency planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Red Bank

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Planning Consulting Services: Professional consulting services including master plans, redevelopment plans, strategic plans, zoning studies, and sustainability assessments for municipal and private clients in New Jersey. Services are project-based with engagements ranging from comprehensive master plans to specific element updates.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Heyer, Gruel & Associates is a community planning consulting firm that provides professional planning services to public and private clients throughout New Jersey. Core offerings include redevelopment plans, master plans and vision plans, affordable housing plans and COAH compliance, urban design and form-based codes, neighborhood plans and zoning studies, farmland and open space preservation plans, and sustainability and resiliency planning. Engagements are project-based, ranging from comprehensive master plans to specific plan elements and expert testimony in affordable housing litigation.

Product overview

HGA is a community planning consulting firm (not a software company) offering eight interconnected service areas: Redevelopment Services, Master Plans & Vision Plans, Farmland and Open Space Services, Urban Design & Form-Based Codes, Affordable Housing Services, Strategic and Economic Development Plans, Neighborhood Plans & Zoning Studies, and Sustainability & Resiliency Services. The firm operates as a unified consulting practice providing planning services to municipalities, counties, and private clients throughout New Jersey rather than as a product-based platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Redevelopment Services Comprehensive redevelopment planning services including preliminary investigation reports, redevelopment plan drafting, negotiations, expert testimony, plan implementation, and condemnation reports for urban areas, main streets, and suburban corridors. Targeted at municipal clients and redevelopment agencies in New Jersey.
• Master Plans & Vision Plans Preparation of comprehensive master plans, vision plans, reexamination reports, neighborhood plans, main street and central business district plans, and visual impact studies, including regional and multi-jurisdictional planning with extensive public outreach. Targeted at New Jersey municipal and county governments.
• Farmland and Open Space Services Open space and recreation plans, environmental resource inventories, farmland preservation plans, Highlands regional master plan conformance, and greenway planning following NJDEP Green Acres and State Agriculture Development Committee requirements. Targeted at county and municipal clients in New Jersey.
• Urban Design & Form-Based Codes Urban design concepts, illustrative plans, build-out analysis, site analysis, design guidelines, form-based codes, transit-oriented development plans, and zoning ordinances focused on creating dynamic mixed-use environments. Targeted at municipal governments and private developers.
• Affordable Housing Services Housing Element and Fair Share Plans, settlement negotiations, vacant land adjustments, GIS mapping and analysis, administrative agent work, implementation, and expert testimony for affordable housing litigation under New Jersey COAH regulations. Targeted at New Jersey municipalities and housing authorities.
• Strategic and Economic Development Plans Strategic planning, disaster response and recovery plans, investment frameworks, implementation plans, and economic development plans addressing post-Superstorm Sandy recovery, COVID-19 adaptation, and commercial corridor revitalization. Targeted at New Jersey municipalities and economic development agencies.
• Neighborhood Plans & Zoning Studies Neighborhood planning and zoning studies including public outreach processes, context-sensitive design recommendations, bulk standards analysis, and historic preservation strategies for residential communities. Targeted at New Jersey boroughs, townships, and towns.
• Sustainability & Resiliency Services Climate change vulnerability assessments, green building and sustainability master plan elements, LEED assessments, green building design guidelines, transit-oriented development planning, environmental resource inventories, and sustainable development implementation strategies. Targeted at New Jersey municipalities pursuing Sustainable Jersey certification and climate resiliency planning.

Quantifiable outcome

• Replacement of over 1,300 affordable housing units with safer and healthier units through Hoboken Housing Authority Redevelopment Plan
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WRTcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Subconsultant partner on the Housing Authority of the City of Hoboken Redevelopment Plan project team, working collaboratively on the comprehensive redevelopment planning effort.
• ArupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Subconsultant partner on the Housing Authority of the City of Hoboken Redevelopment Plan project team, providing engineering and design expertise.
• Execu-TechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Subconsultant partner on the Housing Authority of the City of Hoboken Redevelopment Plan project team.
• Rutgers UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirm members teach at Rutgers University as part of professional activities, contributing to planning education while building professional relationships.
• Cooper MedicalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooper Medical explored possibility of adaptively reusing former Sears anchor space at Moorestown Mall as state-of-the-art outpatient medical facility, resulting in evolved redevelopment plan including medical use.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Dewberry: National engineering, architecture, and planning firm with a strong New Jersey office. Provides master planning, redevelopment, and resiliency services to municipalities as part of a much broader multi-discipline portfolio.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with planning, urban design, and resiliency practices serving municipal clients. A broad incumbent that competes for larger bundled planning contracts where HGA typically serves as subconsultant.

Direct peers

• Clarke Caton Hintz: Trenton, NJ-based architecture and planning firm providing master planning, redevelopment, and urban design services to New Jersey municipalities. Directly comparable in size, geography, and service mix to HGA.
• BFJ Planning: New York/New Jersey planning consultancy specializing in urban planning, zoning, and community development. Comparable target clients (municipalities) and service offerings (master plans, redevelopment plans, zoning studies).
• WRT (WRT Design): Urban planning and design firm with New Jersey presence. HGA served as subconsultant to WRT on the Hoboken Housing Authority Redevelopment Plan, demonstrating directly comparable service offerings and overlap in municipal planning work.
• CME Associates: New Jersey-based engineering, planning, and surveying firm serving municipal and county governments. Comparable client base and overlap with HGA on planning and zoning services.
• T&M Associates: New Jersey-based engineering and planning consulting firm serving municipalities on master planning, redevelopment, and infrastructure projects. Comparable in regional focus and client mix, with broader engineering capabilities.
• Maser Consulting (Colliers Engineering & Design): New Jersey-headquartered consulting firm offering planning, engineering, and design services to public and private clients across the region. Comparable in serving local government clients across NJ.
• Phillips Preiss Grygiel Leheny Hughes: New Jersey-based urban planning firm focused on redevelopment planning, affordable housing, and zoning for municipalities. Overlaps directly with HGA's affordable housing and redevelopment practice in NJ.

Others

• Rutgers University Bloustein School: Academic institution where HGA principals teach and contribute to planning research. Acts as a talent pipeline and ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor, but publishes influential NJ planning guidance that shapes the firm's market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heyer-gruel-and-associates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Heyer, Gruel and Associates