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Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing

Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development
Responsibility
Management Scope

Public and Indian Housing had a 2016 enacted budget of $26,800 million, and 633 nonseasonal full-time permanent employees.3 The assistant secretary handles the administration of all public housing, the Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8 rental assistance), and Native American programs that benefit more than 3,400 housing agencies across the country and comprise well over 60 percent of HUD’s annual operating budget.4

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
• Serves as the principal advisor to the secretary and deputy secretary on all matters relating to the overall development and management of the department’s public and Indian housing programs, as authorized under the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, as amended, which provides affordable housing to more than 1.3 million households nationwide
• Responsible for the planning, management, direction and policy formulation for all activities pertaining to the operation of public and Indian programs5
• Administers the Rental Assistance Demonstration Program (a joint effort with the Federal Housing Administration)

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

• Technical expertise that combines deep budget knowledge with operations, to manage the enormous budget complexities this job entails
• Operational experience, to handle the toughest operational job at HUD, and one that is very compliance-driven
• Real estate and operating experience (capital management, social services)

Competencies

• Strong communication skills and ability to appear before the media
• Ability to manage large budget with operational and capital component
• Ability to manage in a complex, multifaceted sector
• Willingness to travel often
• Strong negotiation skills, for working on major rules and with other agencies
• Ability to manage the diversity of housing authorities and management models that exist within this program; awareness of local context and the fact that people have different goals with different housing authorities
• Ability to work with other assistant secretaries and other agencies
• Ability to deal with public scrutiny and a high-profile position

Past Appointments
  • Sandra Brooks Henriquez (2009 to 2014): Administrator and Chief Executive Officer, Boston Housing Authority; Principal, Maloney Properties, Inc.; Director of Housing Management and Tenant Services, Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development6
  • Orlando J. Cabrera (2005 to 2008): Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Florida Housing Finance Corporation;7 Of Counsel, Partner, Holland & Knight, LLP; General Counsel, Latin American Builders Association8
  • Michael Minoru Fawn Liu (2001 to 2005): Senior Vice President, Member Managing Committee, Federal Home Loan Bank Chicago; Member, District 24, Hawaii State Senate; Vice President, Community Reinvestment Act and Government Affairs, Bank of America Corporation, Honolulu9
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

Secretary/Deputy Secretary2

SENATE COMMITTEE

Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs

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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. https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=FY_2017_CJs_Combined.pdf Partnership for Public Service analysis of FedScope data
  4. OPM
  5. OPM
  6. http://www.allgov.com/officials/henriquez-sandra?officialid=28929
  7. http://www.squirepattonboggs.com/professionals/c/cabrera-orlando-j
  8. http://www.floridahousing.org/webdocs/newsroom/pr/orlando-cabrera-final.pdf
  9. http://prabook.com/web/person-view.html?profileId=72198
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