United States Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

United States Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is the second-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Appointed by the President of the United States with the confirmation of the United States Senate, the Deputy Secretary assumes the duties of the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in their absence. The position is central to managing the department's operations and implementing policies related to public housing, community development, and fair housing.

History and creation

The office was established in 1966, a year after the creation of the cabinet-level United States Department of Housing and Urban Development under President Lyndon B. Johnson. The Housing and Urban Development Act of 1965 authorized the department, and subsequent administrative orders defined the role of the deputy. The first Deputy Secretary, Robert C. Wood, was appointed in 1966, bringing experience from his tenure as Under Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. The creation of the role was part of a broader expansion of the federal government's role in urban policy during the Great Society era, which also included initiatives like the Model Cities Program.

Appointment and succession

The Deputy Secretary is nominated by the President of the United States and must be confirmed by a majority vote in the United States Senate, following a hearing process typically held by the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. In the United States presidential line of succession, the Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is the seventeenth official, following the United States Secretary of Homeland Security and preceding the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. If the Secretary resigns, dies, or is incapacitated, the Deputy Secretary serves as Acting Secretary until a new Secretary is confirmed, as occurred when Adrianne Todman served as Acting United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development following the departure of Marcia Fudge.

Duties and responsibilities

The Deputy Secretary's primary responsibility is to assist the Secretary in the management and direction of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. This includes overseeing the department's major agencies such as the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the Office of Public and Indian Housing, and the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. The Deputy Secretary often leads interagency task forces, coordinates with entities like the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), and implements key legislative programs including the Housing Choice Voucher program and the Community Development Block Grant. The role also involves testifying before Congress and representing the department in dealings with organizations like the National Association of Home Builders and the Mortgage Bankers Association.

List of Deputy Secretaries

Since the position's inception, individuals from diverse professional backgrounds have served. The inaugural Deputy Secretary, Robert C. Wood, was a political scientist and former Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor. Later deputies have included figures like Alphonso Jackson, who later became United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President George W. Bush, and Pamela Patenaude, who served during the administration of Donald Trump. The current Deputy Secretary, Adrianne Todman, a former executive director of the District of Columbia Housing Authority, was confirmed by the United States Senate in March 2021 during the presidency of Joe Biden.

Office of the Deputy Secretary

The Office of the Deputy Secretary is headquartered in the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building in Washington, D.C.. This office provides direct staff support and includes several key advisors and offices that report directly to the Deputy Secretary, such as the Office of Departmental Operations and Coordination and the Office of Field Policy and Management. It plays a critical role in coordinating the activities of HUD's ten regional offices across the United States and ensuring the implementation of departmental directives. The office works closely with other senior staff, including the General Deputy Assistant Secretary and various Under Secretaries, to execute the strategic priorities of the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Category:United States Deputy Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development Category:1966 establishments in the United States