City officials outline plans at REBNY breakfast.

City Planning Commission Chairman Joseph Rose and New York City Economic Development Corporation President Clay Lifflander outlined the Giuliani administration's objectives for expanding private sector investment and job creation at the first REBNY Members Breakfast, which was held on June 8.

James D. Kuhn, president of Newmark Real Estate and chair of the Board's General Meetings Committee, launched the program by reminding the audience of Lewis Rudin's confirmed prediction a year ago that the market would "continue to come back."

Mr. Lifflander discussed the Economic Development Corporation's goals. Declaring that this was "a time of opportunity for this city," he said that "growing the private sector job base" was of paramount importance. Mr. Lifflander pledged that EDC would attempt to be pro-active, rather than reactive where attracting and retaining companies is concerned. He also said the corporation would make the point that development incentives should be regarded as investments in the city's economy, not as budget expenditures. In addition, Mr. Lifflander mentioned that the corporation would leverage city resources and share risks with entrepreneurs. "At the moment," he advised, "every dollar EDC invests get the city $10 dollars in return. We'd like to see a 30.1 return."

City Planning Commission Chairman Joseph Rose asserted that "a body of regulations has accreted that stands in the way of housing production, retail growth and other activity ... You shouldn't have to go through an elaborate lobbying process here to do what can be accomplished as-of-right elsewhere in the country." Mr. Rose criticized such recent planning initiatives as the waterfront plan and the packing-the-bulk provisions of the Upper East Side zoning as "blind to the needs of economic development." He promised that this agency would be more responsive to public sector comments on such matters before adopting policies. He cited the overhaul of the Quality Housing Program to shelve "ridiculous restrictions;" exploring alternate, more productive uses for underutilized manufacturing zones; and the adoption E-designations that address environmental cleanup obligations on a case-by-case basis as examples of this receptivity.

The breakfast, attended by over 350 REBNY members, also feature a lengthy and informative question and answer period following the speakers' remarks.