In PlanningxChange Episode 80, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Nicole Gelinas an author, columnist and podcast regular based in New York. Nicole is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a contributing editor of City Journal, and a columnist at the New York Post. She writes on urban economics and finance. Gelinas is a CFA charterholder and the author of After the Fall: Saving Capitalism from Wall Street—and Washington (2011).

Gelinas has published analysis and opinion pieces in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and other publications. Before coming to City Journal (https://www.city-journal.org/), she was a business journalist for Thomson Financial, where she covered the international syndicated-loan and private-debt markets. Gelinas holds a B.A. in English literature from Tulane University. Nicole makes regular appearances on City Journal’s podcast series, 10 Blocks (https://www.city-journal.org/10-blocks).

In the PX interview Nicole discusses various cities (and different parts of cities) she has lived in and how local governance can make enormous differences in liveability and prosperity. She talks particularly on issues of crime and transportation. Referencing Jane Jacobs she makes various observations about how governance during Covid affected life in New York as well as the impacts of urban riots on business confidence, employment and citizen feelings of well being. She addresses the question, Manhattan needs people but do people need Manhattan? A thoughtful and clear speaking view of city life.

Audio production by Jack Bavage. The episode was released on 5 July 2021.