Kenney picks head of new cabinet

While a national search continues for new directors of prisons and human services – as well as a fire commissioner – Philadelphia Mayor-elect Jim Kenney has named a new person to oversee his cabinet of planning and development.

Monday morning, Kenney announced that Anne Fadullon will serve as Director of the new Planning and Development Cabinet, a branch of government created via a city charter change that voters approved on the November ballot.

The change was an initiative led by City Council President Darrell Clarke last year and results in the creation of a new cabinet that encompasses the divisions of zoning and planning, divisions of development services and divisions of housing and community development.

Fadullon will come from serving as the director of development for the construction management and general contracting firm, DALE Corporation, based out of Glenside, where she’s worked since 2000. Prior to her tenure with DALE, she oversaw projects within the Redevelopment Authority under then-Mayor Ed Rendell.

“I am honored to serve as the City of Philadelphia’s first director of Planning and Development,” said Fadullon.

“It’s an exciting opportunity to bring our housing and development departments in closer cooperation. I’m confident this new cabinet will help us fulfill our first and foremost obligation to our citizens and city employees – creating an efficient and effective government.”

Kenney said he is confident that Fadullon’s nearly three decades of experience in city planning, real estate development, legislative policy, project financing and overall project management will create the cross-department harmony that is needed in this area of the city.

Clarke proposed the new cabinet charter change last year after seeing a need for streamlining and coordinating “an elevated approach” to the “long-term economic growth and prosperity of our city.”

“Every Philadelphian whose quality of life has been affected by construction has been touched by planning decisions,” Clarke said.

“Every developer who has lost time and money waiting for City Hall’s permission to continue working has been affected by the bureaucracy governing such decisions.

“Having worked with Anne in various capacities for years, I know her to have the right experience and temperament to lead this newly reorganized department under a new administration. This is an awesome responsibility, and I can’t think of anyone more well equipped than Anne to take on this challenge.”