City Planning appoints first COO

In an effort to streamline operations and increase efficiency, the Department of City Planning has appointed its first chief operating officer.

Jon Kaufman, who worked for consulting firm Bain & Co. for 17 years, will fill the position. Earlier this year, Kaufman was involved with analyzing the department’s organizational structure, and will now oversee the department’s administration, capital budget, information technology and planning coordination divisions, as well as BluePRint, an initiative to reform the core land use and environmental application review processes.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Planning Commission Chair and director of the department Carl Weisbrod have promised they will implement changes to make the department run more smoothly, Crain’s reported. Kaufman will report to Weisbrod and be a part of the department’s senior executive team, along with Purnima Kapur and Anita Laremont.

The City Planning Department is in charge of reviewing and approving land-use and zoning applications. In the de Blasio administration, the department will also play a big role in the mayor’s housing plan, to build or preserve 200,000 affordable units over the coming decade. [Crain’s] — Claire Moses