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Blog Post | October 1, 2021

As Biden Promises Sweeping Housing Action, Nearly 100 Personnel Vacancies Plague HUD

Executive BranchGovernment CapacityHousing
As Biden Promises Sweeping Housing Action, Nearly 100 Personnel Vacancies Plague HUD

Last week, the Biden Administration unveiled its “House America” initiative, a new partnership between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and city, county, state and tribal governments to reduce homelessness and expand affordable housing by investing CARES Act and American Rescue Plan funds in community housing needs. Speaking at a September 20th press conference, HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge promised her full support for the initiative, stating that “it’s going to take government working at all levels to address homelessness and to guarantee housing as a right for every American.”

While the administration’s all-of-government approach reflects the scale necessary to address the nation’s housing crisis, Secretary Fudge’s own department lacks the manpower to help direct this effort and the rest of Biden’s housing goals. More than nine months into Biden’s presidency, HUD is plagued by a series of high-profile vacancies, jeopardizing the administration’s housing policy initiatives. 

According to official HUD personnel directories reviewed by the Revolving Door Project, more than 100 HUD positions relevant to housing policy remain vacant or currently filled by an acting staff member. If Secretary Fudge and the Biden Administration hope to implement their housing agenda, they will need to fill these vacancies with innovative and knowledgeable officials who are dedicated to carrying out HUD’s mission of creating “strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.”

This blog serves as a non-comprehensive list of HUD personnel vacancies relevant to federal housing policy. Given the Senate’s growing backlog of nominees and the worsening national housing crisis, we urge President Biden to support changing Senate rules to expedite the confirmation of HUD nominees, as well as to quickly fill non-Senate-confirmed HUD vacancies with public interest advocates as soon as possible.  


Federal Housing Administration (FHA)

The FHA, also known as the Office of Housing, provides mortgage insurance on loans made by agency-approved private lenders for single-family homes, multifamily rental properties, residential care facilities, and other residential care facilities. It has been the backbone of HUD’s initiatives to promote homeownership since becoming part of the Department in 1965. The FHA’s core personnel are sorted into different offices and program divisions, including the commissioner’s office, single-family and multifamily housing programs, housing counseling, and more. Since February 2021, the agency has been led by Biden appointee and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Lopa Kolluri, who is performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary for Housing in an acting capacity while Biden nominee Julia Gordon awaits confirmation by the Senate. Among the HUD offices we reviewed, the FHA has the greatest number of vacant positions and acting personnel.

FHA Commissioner’s Office

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Federal Housing CommissionerPENDING CONFIRMATIONBiden nominee Julia Gordon is pending confirmation by the Senate, Lopa Kolluri performing duties in interim
General Deputy Assistant Secretary for HousingVACANT
Chief of StaffVACANT
Senior Advisor5 VACANCIES
Office AdministratorVACANT
Program Analyst2 VACANCIES

Healthcare Programs

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Director of Office of Residential Care FacilitiesVACANT
Deputy Director of Office of Architecture and Engineering for Healthcare ProgramsVACANT

Multifamily Housing

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Senior Advisor to the Office of Field Support and Operations for Multifamily HousingVACANT
Director of Office of Program Systems Management for Multifamily HousingVACANT
Senior Advisor to Office of Multifamily Asset Management and Portfolio Oversight2 VACANCIES
Branch Chief for Branch 2, Office of RecapitalizationVACANT
Supervisor for Closing and Post Closing, Office of RecapitalizationVACANT

Single Family Housing

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Single Family HousingVACANT
Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Single Family HousingACTING OFFICIALActing: Julie Shaffer
Director of Philadelphia Homeownership Center (HOC)ACTING OFFICIALActing: Anthony Triolo
Director of Denver HOCACTING OFFICIALActing: Elaine Roberts
Deputy Director of Program Support Division, Office of Single Family Program DevelopmentVACANT
Director of Home Valuation Policy Division, Office of Single Family Program DevelopmentACTING OFFICIALActing: Barbara Leslie
Deputy Director of Home Valuation Policy Division, Office of Single Family Program DevelopmentACTING OFFICIALActing: Brian Barnes
Director of Office of Single Family Asset ManagementACTING OFFICIALActing: Elissa “Lisa” Saunders
Deputy Director of Asset Management & Disposition Division, Office of Single Family Asset ManagementVACANT
Deputy Director of Quality Assurance Division, Office of Lender Activities and Program ComplianceVACANT

Housing Counseling

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Deputy Division Director for Office of Outreach & Capacity BuildingVACANT
Director of Oversight & Accountability DivisionACTING OFFICIALActing: E. Carolyn Hogans

Risk Management and Regulation

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Risk Management and RegulationVACANT
Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Risk Management and RegulationVACANT
Market Analysis Division Director, Office of EvaluationVACANT

Housing Operations

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing OperationsACTING OFFICIALActing: Anthony Reeves
Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing OperationsACTING OFFICIALActing: Eric J. Pourciau 
Continuous Improvement Manager for Housing OperationsVACANT
FHA Transformation ManagerVACANT
Deputy Director of Organizational Policy Planning & Analysis, Office of Management for Housing OperationsVACANT

Finance and Budget

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Housing-FHA ComptrollerVACANT
Deputy Director of the Office of Asset SalesVACANT
Director of the Office of Budget and Field ResourcesACTING OFFICIALActing: Nicholas Joy
Deputy Director of the Office of Budget and Field ResourcesVACANT

Office of General Counsel (OGC)

The OGC acts as the chief legal arm of HUD, leading the Department’s legal efforts to enforce housing civil rights laws. Its primary duties entail providing legal opinions, services, and counseling on HUD’s housing programs, as well as taking aggressive legal action in federal court against those in violation of HUD’s housing regulations. The OGC has been led by General Counsel Damon Smith, a Biden nominee and former corporate lawyer at Jenner & Block, since April 2021. 

OGC Headquarters 

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Principal Deputy General CounselVACANT

Regional Offices/Field Managers

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Regional Counsel for Region I (Boston)ACTING OFFICIALActing: Derya Samadi
Chief Counsel for Region I (Hartford)VACANT
Chief Counsel for Region I (Manchester)VACANT
Chief Counsel for Region I (Providence)VACANT
Chief Counsel for Region III (Richmond)VACANT
Chief Counsel for Region IV (Jackson)VACANT
Chief Counsel for Region IV (Louisville)VACANT
Chief Counsel for Region V (Columbus)VACANT
Chief Counsel for Region V (Milwaukee)VACANT
Chief Counsel for Region VI (Houston)VACANT
Chief Counsel for Region VI (San Antonio)VACANT
Chief Counsel for Region VII (Des Moines)VACANT
Chief Counsel for Region VII (Omaha)VACANT
Chief Counsel for Region IX (Honolulu)VACANT
Chief Counsel for Region X (Portland)VACANT

Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO)

The FHEO leads HUD’s enforcement efforts against housing discrimination by investigating fair housing complaints, conducting compliance reviews, integrating civil rights assessments into HUD programs, and managing fair housing grants. FHEO was led for the first nine months of the Biden administration by Acting Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Jeanine Worden, who has since gone on to serve as HUD’s Associate General Counsel for Fair Housing while Biden’s FHEO nominee David Ueijo awaits Senate confirmation.  

Assistant Secretary’s Office

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal OpportunityPENDING CONFIRMATIONBiden nominee David Ueijo is awaiting confirmation by the Senate.
Senior Advisor to the Assistant SecretaryVACANT

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement’s Office

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement ProgramsACTING OFFICIALActing: Amy Frisk 
Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant SecretaryACTING OFFICIALActing: Stephanie Waller
Director of the Compliance Disability Rights Division, Office of EnforcementACTING OFFICIALActing: Jacy Gaige
Director of Fair Housing Assistance Program Division, Office of EnforcementACTING OFFICIALActing: Erik Steinecker

Regional Field Contacts

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Director of Richmond FHEO Field OfficeVACANT
Director of Atlanta FHEO CenterVACANT
Director of Louisville FHEO CenterVACANT
Director of Birmingham FHEO Field OfficeVACANT
Director of Knoxville FHEO Field OfficeVACANT
Director of Greensboro FHEO Field OfficeVACANT
Director of Columbia FHEO Field OfficeVACANT
Director of New Orleans FHEO CenterVACANT
Director of Oklahoma City FHEO Field OfficeVACANT
Director of Albuquerque FHEO Field OfficeVACANT
Director of Little Rock FHEO Field OfficeVACANT
Director of Omaha FHEO Field OfficeVACANT
Director of Denver Regional OfficeACTING OFFICIALActing: James Whiteside
Director of San Francisco FHEO CenterVACANT
Director of Seattle FHEO CenterVACANT
Director of Portland FHEO Field OfficeVACANT
Director of Anchorage FHEO Field OfficeVACANT

Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations (CIR)

This office serves as HUD’s principal point of contact before Congress, advocating for the Department’s budgetary and legislative requests that require Congressional funding. It also coordinates HUD’s response to Congressional oversight of housing policy conducted through the Department and regularly submits testimony in response to Congressional inquiries. The office is currently led by General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations Sarah Brundage, who is performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary in an acting capacity.

Office of CIR

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental RelationsVACANTNo Biden nominee yet, Sarah Brundage is fulfilling duties in interim
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional RelationsVACANT
Congressional Relations OfficerVACANT

Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD)

This office administers funding to cities, counties, and state governments who are enrolled in HUD’s housing grant programs, such as the Community Development Block Grant program and the HOME program. As such, it plays an influential role in state and local efforts to address homelessness and public-private affordable housing project partnerships. CPD is currently headed by Biden appointee and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary James Arthur Jemison, who is performing the duties of Assistant Secretary while Biden nominee Mark Colón awaits Senate confirmation. 

National CPD Office

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Assistant Secretary of Community Planning and DevelopmentPENDING CONFIRMATIONBiden nominee Mark Colón is pending confirmation by the Senate, James Arthur Jemison performing duties in interim.
General Deputy Assistant SecretaryVACANT
Deputy Assistant Secretary for OperationsACTING OFFICIALActing: Steven Washington
Director of the Office of Environment and EnergyACTING OFFICIALActing: Moriel-Elorm Tchaou

Field Offices

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Louisville Office Director (Region IV)ACTING OFFICIALActing: Renee Ryles
Indianapolis Office Director (Region V)ACTING OFFICIALActing: Renee Ryles

Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae)

Ginnie Mae is a government-owned corporation housed within HUD that guarantees the timely payment of mortgage-backed securities issued by private lenders. In practice, Ginnie Mae’s loan guarantees help expand affordable homeownership to underserved parts of the mortgage market, such as first-time home buyers and low-income borrowers. Ginnie Mae, which has lacked a permanent president since 2017, is currently led by Acting EVP Michael Drayne while Biden nominee Alanna McCargo awaits confirmation by the Senate. 

Ginnie Mae

PositionStatusAdditional Information
President of Ginnie MaePENDING CONFIRMATIONBiden nominee Alanna McCargo is awaiting Senate confirmation, Acting EVP Michael Drayne is performing duties in interim

Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R)

PD&R serves as HUD’s primary policy research arm, maintaining quantitative data and qualitative assessments of national housing needs, housing market conditions, and current HUD housing programs. The office is currently headed by General Deputy Assistant Secretary Todd Richardson, who is performing the duties of Assistant Secretary in an acting capacity while Biden nominee Solomon Greene awaits confirmation by the Senate.

Office of PD&R

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and ResearchPENDING CONFIRMATIONBiden nominee Solomon Greene awaiting Senate confirmation, Todd Richardson leading PD&R in interim.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for InnovationVACANT

Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH)

PIH is home to HUD’s efforts to regulate and expand affordable public housing to low-income, urban, and Native communities. The office is home to many of HUD’s public housing grant and voucher programs, such as the HOPE VI and Section 8 housing voucher programs. PIH is currently led by General Deputy Assistant Secretary Dominique Blom, who is fulfilling the duties of the Assistant Secretary in an acting capacity while Biden nominee James Arthur Jemison (who is also currently serving as the acting head of CPD) awaits Senate confirmation to be Assistant Secretary of PIH. 

Office of PIH

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Assistant Secretary of Public and Indian HousingPENDING CONFIRMATIONBiden nominee James Arthur Jemison is pending confirmation by the Senate, Dominique Blom leading PIH in interim.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Real Estate Assessment CenterVACANT

Office of Field Policy and Management (FPM)

FPM manages and oversees HUD’s 80 regional and field offices nationwide, which serve as the primary point of contact between the Department and local communities. As such, FPM plays a crucial role in assessing the housing needs of communities across the country and implementing HUD’s local policy responses. The office is currently led by Biden appointee Michele Perez, who has served as the Assistant Deputy Secretary for Field Policy and Management since February 2021. 

National FPM Office

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Director of the Office of Field Policy and ManagementACTING OFFICIALActing: Krista Mills
Deputy Director of the Office of Field Policy and ManagementACTING OFFICIALActing: Ivery Himes
Advisor to the Assistant Deputy SecretaryVACANT
National Director of Labor Standard & EnforcementACTING OFFICIALActing: Amanda Hermann

Regional & Field Offices

PositionStatusAdditional Information
Atlanta Regional Office AdministratorVACANT
Chicago Regional Office AdministratorVACANT
Boston Regional Office AdministratorVACANT
New York Regional Office Administrator: VACANTunclear when forthcoming Biden appointee Alicka Ampry-Samuel will take office
Philadelphia Regional Office AdministratorVACANT
Fort Worth Regional Office AdministratorVACANT
Seattle Regional Office AdministratorVACANT
Santa Ana, CA Field Office Director ACTING OFFICIALActing: Laurie Cannady Udit 
Knoxville, TN Field Office DirectorACTING OFFICIALActing: Michael Browder

This page will be continuously updated. If you know of other housing-related HUD vacancies not listed here or that you would like to see highlighted, please reach out to us at [email protected]


PHOTO: “SOHUD Visits Rock Hill, SC and Catawba Nation by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Flickr)

Executive BranchGovernment CapacityHousing

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