Federal Position Descriptions
Print

Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Department of Housing and Urban Development
Responsibility
Management Scope

Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity had a 2016 enacted budget of $65 million, and 108 nonseasonal, full-time permanent employees.3 The assistant secretary administers a huge grant program that supports fair housing at the local level.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develops strategic and budgetary plans for the mission area; manages senior staff and operations; serves as the key contact point with the secretary on matters involving those areas; and testifies in Congress as needed
• Advises the secretary on policies and issues affecting fair housing, community development and facilities, equal opportunity in housing, equal employment opportunity, economic development opportunities and other matters relating to civil rights as they relate to the disabled, minorities, family groups and civil rights organizations
• Has responsibility for administering and enforcing the Fair Housing Act; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974; section 501 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Executive Orders 11063, 11478, 12259 and section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended4

Strategic Goals and Priorities
[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration.]
Requirements

• The assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity could be an advocate (for example, a litigator) or someone with operational experience (for example, someone who has worked in a public housing authority and has lived the fair housing world)
• Practical, hands-on experience

Competencies

• Strong communication and listening skills, and ability to appear before the media
• Skills for negotiating within the organization
• Ability to manage internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to work with the Office of the General Counsel and understanding of legal issues

Past Appointments
  • Gustavo Velasquez Aguilar (2014 to 2017): Executive Director, Latino Economic Development Center; Director, District of Colombia Office of Human Rights; Director, Office of Latino Affairs, District of Columbia5
  • John D. Trasvina (2009 to 2013): President and General Counsel, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund; Chair, National Hispanic Leadership Agenda; Director, Discrimination Research Center6
  • Kim Kendrick (2005 to 2009): Senior Counselor to Secretary Alphonso Jackson; General Counsel, Covenant House Washington; Regional Administrator, District of Columbia Housing Authority7
AGENCY

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Mission: To create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all

COMPENSATION

Level IV $155,500 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)1

REPORTS TO

Deputy Secretary2

SENATE COMMITTEE

Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs

Appointee Tracker

Check out our Political Appointee Tracker

Go to the tracker
Footnote
  1. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31, May 5, 2017), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels during calendar year 2017.
  2. http://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/2014AG-43.pdf
  3. Leadership Directories
  4. OPM
  5. https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/about/principal_staff/gustavo_velasquez
  6. Leadership Directories
  7. http://www.allgov.com/officials/kendrick-kim?officialid=28703
More federal position descriptions