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championed by the industry that aims to speed up construction permitting in New Jersey, allowing developers
to hire third-party, private-sector code inspectors if local officials cannot provide a timely review. Kennedy noted that the Department of Community Affairs has published a draft of the new rules and opened
a comment period, so the chapter
and other industry groups will be reviewing them “and making sure that the regulations live up to what the legislation required.”
He also pointed to the DEP’s newest flood hazard and stormwater regulations for inland properties, which require higher elevations for new construction to account for observed and projected increases in rainfall. NAIOP expects the agency
to do the same for coastal properties, impacting areas from the Jersey Shore to the Hudson waterfront and highlighting the ongoing debate over the intersection of climate change and commercial real estate.
“We believe, of course, that climate change is real and, especially for coastal states like ours, has to be considered,” Kennedy said. “Real estate and economic development need to pivot to new technologies and better design to accommodate these realities. But state and federal government play a huge role in
this, and we’re going to be working with them to make sure that the rules, as they change and evolve,
are reasonable and incremental and that we can balance the needs of economic development and the needs for housing and places where we can work against what they’re projecting on climate change.”
Kennedy discussed those issues and more — including his other priorities and his approach to the job — during an interview in mid-August at NAIOP New Jersey’s headquarters in New Brunswick. Below are excerpts from the interview, edited for space and clarity.
REAL ESTATE NJ: You were at the chapter’s big gala in May when it announced that Mike would retire and you would take his place. Assuming
it was your introduction to many of the chapter’s 800 members, what
did you learn that night about the organization?
DAN KENNEDY: I think the number one thing that I learned is that NAOP members are active and they show
up, and they care about not just the history of the organization, but the future of it. That was something that
I was really blown away by at the event, with how the people that I encountered were really focused on not just their individual roles in the commercial real estate industry, but how NAIOP is really a key part of their success. There are a million trade associations out there ... and I’ve been to all of them, basically. The feeling
I got walking into the room was that NAIOP is the industry. It’s not just an obligation for people to attend. It’s something that people want to be a
part of.
RENJ: It seems like your experience with UTCA made for a smoother transition to NAIOP. Do you feel that’s the case?
DK: I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t
for the time I spent with UTCA. I
don’t think I would’ve been a viable candidate, because it was that trade association work, that experience, that I think set me apart from other folks they were looking at. I think our leadership and our board expect me to run the shop here and, if I run the shop well, it adds value to their shops.
RENJ: You have a long list of public policy issues to deal with as you begin your tenure. What about the landmark LSRP (Licensed Site Remediation Professional) program that has thrived for more than a decade and helped clean up polluted sites across the state, but is now dealing with delayed approvals by DEP?
DK: First, credit Commissioner (Shawn) LaTourette and Assistant Commissioner (David) Haymes for recognizing the challenges that LSRPs and the development community are facing with the DEP’s management under the law that was passed
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