A high-ranking Department of Housing and Urban Development official announced his resignation on Thursday, a day a mob took over the U.S. Capitol. Hunter Kurtz, Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, stepped down on the same day Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced their resignations, among others. “I have informed the Secretary that I will be resigning today at the close of business,” Kurtz wrote in an email to HUD staff. I just want to take a moment and thank you. Being the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing and working with you over the past 18 months has truly been the greatest honor and privilege of my life. During this time, we have…
President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday officially announced that Ohio Congresswoman Marcia Fudge as the nominee for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Fudge, who had wanted to lead the Department of Agriculture, was one of five major appointments unveiled. They include Tom Vilsack (USDA), Denis McDonough (Veterans Affairs), Katherine Tai (US Trade Representative) and Susan Rice (director of White House Policy Council). “This dedicated and distinguished group of public servants will bring the highest level of experience, compassion, and integrity to bear, solving problems and expanding possibilities for the American people in the face of steep challenges,” Biden said. “The roles they will take on are where the rubber meets the road — where competent and crisis-tested governance can make…
President-elect Joe Biden is expected to name Congresswoman Marcia Fudge of Ohio as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, according to media reports Tuesday. No official announcement of the appointment has been made, as the Biden team has been leaking cabinet selections to the media in advance of formal announcements a day or so later. Fudge, D-Ohio, had sought to lead the USDA – and even seemed to balk at the idea that she might end up at HUD. She told Politico in November that Black leaders too often are pigeon-holed for only certain cabinet positions, including HUD. As this country becomes more and more diverse, we’re going to have to stop looking at only certain agencies as those that people like me…
The Federal Housing Administration on Tuesday proposed allowing a private flood insurance option instead of insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program when flood insurance is required by FHA. The rule would allow lenders to accept private flood insurance policies for single family insured loans for homes located in Federal Emergency Management Agency-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas. This would be consistent with similar provisions in use by other industry participants. “Our proposal would expand the options for obtaining flood insurance, rather than continuing to lock in borrowers to one federal option without any ability to comparison shop,” Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner Dana Wade said. “We are also proposing important safeguards that will help protect borrowers, so…
Seth Appleton is leaving the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Ginnie Mae to serve as the new president of MISMO, the Mortgage Bankers Association announced Monday. MISMO is a non-profit subsidiary of MBA and is responsible for developing standards for exchanging information and conducting business in the mortgage finance industry in the United States. Appleton is the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at HUD and the Principal Executive Vice President at Ginnie Mae. “Seth’s considerable experience in senior leadership roles at HUD will serve MISMO well as it enters an exciting new phase of its standards development work,” MBA President and CEO Bob Broeksmit said. “MISMO is helping lead our industry into the digital future,…
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday, multiple news outlets reported. Carson, 69, attended a party at the White House on Election Night. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows tested positive for Covid-19 last week. “Secretary Carson has tested positive for the coronavirus,” Carson’s chief of staff, Coalter Baker, told ABC News in a statement. “He is in good spirits and feels fortunate to have access to effective therapeutics which aid and markedly speed his recovery.”…
