David Rusk, “It’s Not Nice to Fool Mother Nature: Sea Level Rise and Managed Withdrawal”

Within 85 years, scientists project, one-eighth of Cambridge would be permanently under water because of a 3-foot rise in sea level; a 6-foot rise would submerge 38% of Cambridge. For the post-Sandy, federal Rebuild By Design program, David Rusk studied the projected impact of sea level rise on the Jersey Shore. He set out major changes in federal and state policies that must be adopted to effect the “managed relocation” of the Jersey Shore. Many of his proposals would be applicable to the Greater Boston area as well. His conclusion: Superstorm Sandy revealed not so much design deficiencies as a massive failure of public policy.” People have been permitted — even subsidized — to build where Mother Nature says they shouldn’t build.

The event is sponsored by Department of Urban Planning and Design, HUPO, and The Storm the Strife and Everyday Life studio.

David Rusk:
The Congressional Quarterly has called David Rusk’s Cities without Suburbs “the Bible of the regionalism movement.” “A must read for all practicing local government officials, elected or appointed,” said the Government Finance Review of Rusk’s Inside Game/Outside Game. Rusk combines strong analytical skills with practical political experience.  He is a former federal Labor Department official, New Mexico legislator, and mayor of Albuquerque. Now a consultant on urban policy, Rusk has worked in over 120 US communities. Abroad, Rusk has lectured on urban problems in Canada, England, Germany, South Africa, and The Netherlands. Rusk is a founding board member of the Innovative Housing Institute, the USA’s foremost repository of experience regarding inclusionary zoning and other mixed-income housing strategies. Rusk is also president of the Metropolitan Area Research Corporation, and national strategic partner of the Building One America movement.

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