COVID-19 New Paradigms in Urbanism & Design: Q&A with Cali Williams
Principal, Karp Strategies
Cali works to advance equitable economic development and neighborhood planning. She brings more than 17 years of experience to her role advising public policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, affordable housing initiatives, and forward-looking planning initiatives. At Karp Strategies, Cali is leveraging her strong relationships across city and state agencies to: advance stakeholder engagement on behalf of key sustainability and resiliency projects for the New York region, including NYSERDA’s offshore wind efforts and the EDC’s Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency plan; navigate successful affordable housing projects; and shape transformative master plans that promote both equity and economic growth.
Prior to consulting with Karp Strategies, Cali served as Senior Vice President at the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) where she led Mayoral priority projects resulting in thousands of new housing units, hundreds of acres of new parks, and major investments in infrastructure. Cali holds a Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from Cornell University, a Master’s in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and is a Coro Leadership New York and Next City Vanguard alumna. A fifth generation New Yorker, Cali lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter..
Abstract:
As Urban Designers and Planners we are stewards of a unique perspective through which to view our surroundings. Our social infrastructures and daily routines as New Yorkers have been uprooted by the pandemic; oriented in our neighborhoods, how can we seed more equitable and resilient futures for the built environment?
Cheryl: How has the pandemic affected you, your community, workplace, and daily routines?
Cali: The pandemic has impacted everything. It forced me to reconsider what is really important both personally and professionally. By forcing me to face my own mortality and that of the people I love most in the world, and to recognize our collective vulnerability to crisis, COVID changed my approach to the present moment. I am less driven by future plans and more focused on how I can be most impactful now.
I’m part of many communities that were all impacted differently depending on their location, race, income, and health. The pandemic — on top of concurrent crises like repeated police killings of innocent Black people and fires caused by climate change in California — inspired many of my friends and colleagues to take to the streets and protest, examine their own privileges and use their voices to express outrage.
There’s a recognition in many of my circles that there is no desire to return to “normal” but also that connection is critical for survival. So we’ve found new ways to deepen some connections and let go of others that no longer serve us. This moment has actually opened up new ways and forms of connection that I didn’t think were possible.
One of the big life changes I made during the pandemic was to switch from working as a freelance consultant to becoming a full-time Principal at Karp Strategies. So my daily routine now involves a lot more Zoom calls.
Cheryl: What differences have you noticed in the urban fabric of your neighborhood or the built environment of your city?
Cali: New York City felt like ground zero in March and April. The constant ringing of ambulances and fear in the streets was palpable and traumatizing. So when the number of cases started coming down, the weather improved, and people returned to the street in early Summer it felt amazing. The streets in my Brooklyn neighborhood felt extra vibrant and alive. In some ways it felt like NYC after September 11th in that there was a real feeling of survival and community spirit. Despite the stereotypes, I think New Yorkers are some of the most friendly, generous, and innovative people in the world. I’m inspired and amazed on an almost daily basis by how people have transformed the streets and parks. Restaurants have creatively transformed parking spaces to joy-filled spaces for outdoor eating. I’ve seen live theater on street corners. Prospect Park on a weekend evening feels like pure magic with live music behind so many corners. It feels like everyone’s backyard in the way that it was meant to be when it was designed.
Cheryl: As an urban planner, what changes to our physical environment should become a permanent part of the urban planning and design process as we move closer to re-opening despite the enduring pandemic?
Cali: We need to think creatively about repurposing public spaces to be places of commerce, recreation, and gathering. Open streets need to not only continue but be expanded in a way that creates a pedestrian and bike-friendly network of connections to commercial districts. I’m so thrilled that restaurants can operate outdoors year-round; this is the kind of long-term adaptation we need to continue to advance as a city.
As urban planners we should not be holding our breath for the return to how we approached economic development and real estate projects before the pandemic. The City is forever changed. There is no return to ‘normal’. It is now up to us to create the City we want our descendants to experience. We need to come together to implement our vision of a world that is truly equitable and safe — a place where we want our children to be growing and living.
My concern is the desire for a return to “normal” and rush to push forward certain projects envisioned before the pandemic comes from fear of uncertainty and change. I don’t think we should be moving forward on some of those projects without taking a real pause to reflect on what we’ve gone through and how we can do things differently going forward with an eye to critical concerns like climate change and protecting our most vulnerable communities. Rather than simply running faster on the hamster wheel we should take this time to pause and recalibrate our approach to development.
Cheryl: When we think about post-pandemic planning, how can we ensure that development is pursued in a way that is both pro-growth and pro-community?
Cali: This is a period of reckoning and reflection for New York City. We’ve expanded rapidly and for such a long time without appreciation for the way this growth has marginalized many New Yorkers who increasingly don’t recognize their city and can’t afford to live here. The answer is not to stop development, but we must develop in a way that is sustainable. We should seize this unique opportunity and learn from how different cities are adapting to deal with our present crisis but also our long-term challenges. I am proud of the work we do at Karp Strategies because we bring vulnerable populations to the table that might not typically be included in the process. Effective stakeholder engagement is key to shaping projects that support both economic development and community needs. I see this play out in my current projects with NYSERDA, where we’re helping communicate the value of offshore wind development to local residents, and for the NYCEDC, where we’re bringing community voices — many from the city’s most vulnerable populations — into the development of the Brooklyn Bridge-Montgomery Coastal Resilience project.
Cheryl: Is there anything else in relation to our current times that you would like to share?
Cali: This is a unique moment. As urban planners, we must be advocates for local communities. It’s our responsibility to recognize the roles that we play in upholding and benefiting from systemic racism and oppression. We have the power to create change by empowering and supporting the voices of people most impacted by our projects. We must learn from and partner with community organizers and neighborhood activists. One thing the pandemic has made clear is that we can’t go it alone. We need our partners to build this city that we deserve. We need to focus on all the injustices plaguing our society — climate change, environmental racism, criminal justice issues.
About the Author
Cheryl Lim is an urban planner and Analyst at Karp Strategies. She investigates social, physical, and market challenges to create and drive equitable and sustainable solutions essential for healthy communities. Connect with her on LinkedIn here, or get in touch with her at cheryl@karpstrategies.com.
Voices of Urban Design is a discussion forum that is curated by the APA New York Metro Chapter’s Urban Design Committee. Posts are edited for clarity and length only; opinions and statements that appear in this blog are not endorsed by the American Planning Association nor its affiliates. We expect and encourage healthy debate!
