New York City is at the dawn of a historic moment that no one saw coming. Twin-crises, a public health pandemic, and a reckoning on racism, have changed the trajectory of the city.  But where we are going and how to get there remains elusive. In this new lecture, Jason Haber will explore historic moments in Village history that speak to this moment, from former epidemics and outbreaks to moments of social unrest. Through the lens of Village visionaries like Jane Jacobs, Jason will offer his vision of how the city can emerge as a more just, affordable, sustainable, and livable city. Planning for the ‘new’ New York will require us to rethink everything, and use every tool in our toolbox – looking from the past to the future is crucial, whether it’s about housing or healthcare, transportation, technology, protests, and policing. With so much at stake, it has never been a more important moment to consider new approaches to urban planning and design. We have little time to waste.

With special welcoming remarks by Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal.

Professor, author, and real estate expert Jason Haber has been speaking about the ripple effects of the battle between Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses for the past decade. Haber’s extensive career reflects the intersection of business, politics, academia, and technology. He founded a social entrepreneurial real estate firm, worked as a political adviser, and taught public policy at John Jay College. He wrote The Business of Good: Social Entrepreneurship and the New Bottom Line.