New York and London have many similarities: global presence, population size, demographic and economic profile, but also severe housing shortage and growing inequality. But they have radically different systems of government. NYC’s Planning Department has the tricky task of balancing housing provision and job creation, through – amongst other tools – the complex process of ‘zoning’. It also has to manage the classic top-down bottom-up dynamics that shape and re-shape the urban and social landscapes of these global cities. Marisa Lago, Chair of the New York City Planning Commission, reflected on the challenges of delivering change under Mayor Bill de Blaiso’s administration.
Marisa Lago is the Director of the New York City Department of City Planning and Chair of the City Planning Commission.
Tony Travers is Associate Dean of the School of Public Policy, LSE.
Peter Trubowitz (@ptrubowitz) is Professor of International Relations and Director of the US Centre at the London School of Economics and Political Science and Associate Fellow at Chatham House
Listen to The Ballpark Extra Innings interview podcast: New York City's Planning Challenges for 2020 and Beyond with Marisa Lago.
This event was co-hosted with LSE Cities and held on 5th November 2019.