Jennifer Baum celebrates JUST CITY with Ann Cooper

A captivating memoir of New York’s Historic Upper West Side at a time when community and unity defined the neighborhood.

"Baum writes about growing up in a Mitchell-Lama building in “Just City: Growing Up on the Upper West Side When Housing Was a Human Right.” A memoir for which Baum took a deep dive into the history of city housing, the new book arrives as cities such as New York face an affordable housing crisis — and just as New York state legislators are calling for “Mitchell-Lama 2.0.”" (NY Jewish Week)

"In this poignant debut, filmmaker Baum tracks 80 years of U.S. government subsidized housing policy and draws on memories of her own childhood, when her family benefited from a government-built affordable home." (Publishers Weekly)

Jennifer Baum is an author and social historian, specializing in urban development and housing rights. Her passion for New York City's history is evident in her latest book, Just City, which explores the pivotal years of the Upper West Side. Her work emphasizes the period when housing was considered an essential human right. Known for her insightful narratives and engaging storytelling, Jennifer has garnered a dedicated following among those interested in urban sociology and the history of New York City. 

Ann Cooper, a Professor Emeritus at Columbia University, is an award-winning journalist and foreign correspondent with more than 25 years of radio and print reporting experience. She also worked eight years as executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, a press freedom advocacy group, prior to joining the Columbia faculty.