When Marcia Fudge became Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development earlier this year, she said she faced a staffing shortage that undermined the department's ability to most-effectively carry out and implement housing programs, as she explained to [1] U.S. Senators last June. Since then the department has been appointing personnel at all levels.
"These talented and diverse individuals join HUD ready to deliver results for the American people by tackling our nation’s housing challenges to build a stronger, more equitable America," HUD said in a press release announcing March-September hires.
Back in January, when HUD announced several leadership appointees [2], Chief of Staff Jenn Jones said, "This experienced team is hard at work alongside fellow career staff to rebuild the department and to increase equitable access to housing for millions of families. With their vast expertise and knowledge and their unwavering commitment to serving the American people, this team will play a vital role in the Biden Administration’s ambitious agenda to build back better."
More appointments came about [3] in February [3] and July.
The latest round included nine appointments, including Crystal Bergemann as Senior Adviser for Climate, Patrick Byrne as Congressional Relations Specialist, Demetria McCain as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Freedom Murphy as Deputy Press Secretary, Daniela Perez as Assistant Press Secretary, Mia Pittman as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Risk Management and Regulatory Affairs at FHA, Nathan Shultz as Senior Adviser at FHA, and Brad Pollock and Michaela West as Special Assistants.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Shultz, for U.C. Berkeley's Terner Center, penned a paper [4] about FHA modernization. The research focused on retooling the agency to serve those who need it and limiting overlap between FHA’s programs and those of the private market, among other issues that he will now be in a position to more closely advise.