I’m going to start with a proper disclaimer. The words you read are strictly my own and may not represent the views of any Federal agency.

My journey to the built environment was different than most. I came to the Federal government when I was nearly 40 under an excepted term appointment during the Clinton Gore years. Prior to that, I was in the private sector, where I served in C-suite and executive positions in middle-market firms and became a leader in strategy at firms like Prudential, CNA Financial Group, and Verizon. I had the pleasure to work in Russia and Ukraine after the end of the Soviet Union and to work on transactions in Argentina, Ghana, and New Zealand. My focus was on finance and strategy, principally, but I worked closely with bankers and funders developing a pipeline of acquisition candidates.

I am the Field Office Director for the Washington, DC-based field office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Our office serves the entire Greater Washington footprint, with four divisions overseeing $1.2 billion per year across the jurisdiction. HUD also oversees a portfolio of about $46 billion in single-family and multifamily loans in the Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area and serves the entire housing continuum, from the homeless person looking for housing (through our Continuum of Care grantees and Emergency Solutions grantees), provides opportunities for deeply affordable housing through our tenant and project-based voucher program partners and our low rent areas, helps first time buyers and developers through our FHA programs and helps to build communities with our Community Development Block Grant partners. We fund HUD-approved housing counseling agencies to assist with purchases and foreclosure prevention and help to assure that those seeking housing have the opportunity to do so fairly, through our Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity division.

Notwithstanding this, 2020 was a disruptive year. When the office closed “for two weeks to bend the curve”, I was concerned about our ability to continue to serve our public. Sure, I was formerly the Chief of Emergency Preparedness and had drafted pandemic guidance after the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome, but the world was dramatically different. I was proud of the way my team and the Department were able to work away from the office and maintain customer service. We were still able to respond to client inquiries, attend concept meetings, close FHA transactions and interact with elected officials without a significant reduction in service. In fact, our office was one of the top offices in getting grant agreements out for the $12.1 billion released under the CARES Act.

Just as disturbing to me, however, was the social crisis that arose from the murder of George Floyd. To me, it was both senseless and brutal and I attempted to do my part by being a listening ear to my team and by trying to maximize my ability to mentor as many up-and-coming diverse candidates, and especially Black men and women, both professionally and informally, through groups like 100 Black Men and my fraternity. I have lived by the axiom, to whom much is given, much will be required.

This new year, 2021, has shown us that we can so much more when leaders have a vision. I believe a new and very constructive tone is being set by the Department. During the first 100 days of this Administration HUD:

• extended COVID-19 forbearance and foreclosure and eviction moratoria to provide economic relief to those suffering financially due to COVID-19.
• issued guidance to HUD recipients on how HUD funding can be used to support vaccination efforts, and engaged in partnerships on vaccination clinics.
• allocated $5 billion in American Rescue Plan funds to increase affordable housing to address homelessness.
• awarded $2.5 billion to renew support to thousands of local homeless assistance programs across the nation.
• took steps to allocate $5 billion – roughly 70,000 vouchers – to people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.
• made a historic allocation of $700 million through the Housing Trust Fund to help states produce more affordable housing for extremely low- and very low-income households.
• announced that it will enforce the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
• stood up an equity leadership team across the Department and began equity assessments as an agency priority.
• awarded $2.7 billion to improve and preserve the nation’s public housing.
• awarded $5 million to promote lead hazard reduction and weatherization programs.
• worked with its partners to add 360 businesses to the Section 3 Business registry, expanding access to employment opportunities for HUD-assisted individuals.

As my Federal career approaches the sunset, I hope to continue to grow in my ability to make a difference and appreciate the lessons that I have learned over the last year. More importantly, I look forward to working with you.