Just City: Growing Up on the Upper West Side When Housing Was a Human Right

WINNER, 2025 ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PRESSES BOOK, JACKET, AND JOURNAL SHOW IN THE JACKETS & COVERS CATEGORYA captivating memoir of New York’s Historic Upper West Side at a time when community and unity defined the neighborhoodStep into the world of Just City and embark on a poignant journey to a time when ideals were woven into the very fabric of a neighborhood.Jennifer Baum’s evocative storytelling brings to life an era in New York City’s history where affordable housing wasn’t just a concept, but a reality that defined the essence of community. Within the pages of this captivating memoir, you’ll find yourself transported to the historic Upper West Side-a place where diversity flourished and a shared belief in the importance of a home for all bound the residents together.Through personal anecdotes and heartfelt accounts, Baum illuminates her own upbringing alongside the stories of those who shared her neighborhood.She describes how as an adult, she came to appreciate that being rai