Distinguished Visiting Urbanist Michael Blake in Conversation with the Honorable Shaun Donovan

By: Sakura Miyazaki

On Monday, October 28, 2019, NYU Wagner’s Visiting Urbanist Michael Blake invited students, faculty, and staff to discuss the future of urban policy in cities like New York with the Honorable Shaun Donovan, former Director of the US Office of Management and Budget and Secretary of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under President Obama.

Prior to the conversation, Donovan presented a story about Rebuild By Design, a competition he spearheaded with HUD after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Rebuild By Design’s goal is to create innovative ideas and execute them to help communities find solutions for today’s large-scale, complex problems.

Shaun Donovon standing doing presentation.

“After [Hurricane] Sandy, we wanted to explore the problem,” Donovan stated. “What larger questions are not being asked? What are you trying to build? Who are you trying to build for?” These were all questions that Donovan and HUD wanted to know through collaborative research and action. Rebuild By Design received almost $1 billion dollars in funding and the model is now being replicated internationally.

During the conversation, Donovan and Blake emphasized the human side of politics and policy. “Politics is felt,” Donovan emphasized. With respect to Rebuild By Design, Blake asked Donovan why government and society wait for a disaster to occur before taking action. “Because we’re human,” Donovan responded, “We wait too long to do many things, and that includes policy issues. But what is truly important is to not let the crisis go to waste. Ask the right questions, listen to the people, give people support.”

Michael Blake and Shaun Donovan speak to audience.

Donovan also highlighted the importance of changing the culture in society and the government towards resilience and innovation to make transformational change. “That includes the willingness to try and fail,” he stated, “Without failing, you will never innovate.”

Blake closed the conversation by asking Donovan his vision of urban policy and New York City. Donovan admitted he had some fear for the future of cities, explaining that there is a “new urban renaissance” in which wealthy white people are pushing out vulnerable, low-income communities of color. Donovan declared, “I want every kid in New York City, no matter their zip code, what they look like, or whether or not they were born in this country, to see their future in New York City.