On August 10, 2017 HUD announced that Anna Maria Farías had been confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
She was sworn in by HUD Secretary, Dr. Ben Carson, as the Assistant Secretary of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Anna Maria back home to HUD,” said Secretary Carson. “As she has in the past, Anna Maria will provide steady leadership and will advance HUD’s mission as a manifestation of our nation’s fair housing and civil rights laws.”
This isn’t the first time that Farías has had a leadership role within HUD.
Under the Busch Administration, she held roles as both Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grant Programs in the Office of Community Planning and Development, and Director of HUDs Center of Faith-based Community Initiatives, per The M Report.
In 2005 Farías also managed over $16 billion in grants for disaster recovery in the Gulf Coast regions affected by hurricanes.
“As she had in the past, Anna Maria will provide steady leadership and will advance HUD’s mission as a manifestation of our nation’s fair housing and civil rights laws,” Carson said in the news release.
Farías is a Texas native. She has also served on the Board of Regents at Texas Women’s University as both Board Chair and Presiding Officer.
Farías said she is happy to be returning to HUD, and is looking forward to her new role within the agency.
“It is a singular honor to be asked by the President and the Secretary to return to an agency I love,” said Farías. “I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting down to work on behalf of the American people.”
“The mission of the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity is to eliminate housing discrimination, promote economic opportunity and achieve diverse, inclusive communities by leading the nation in the enforcement, administration, development and public understanding of federal fair housing policies and laws,” per Housing Wire.
Three Top HUD Vacancies Still Left
With Farías now taking on the role of Assistant Secretary of the Office for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, there are only three vacant positions left at HUD, said HousingWire.
According to the HUD website those positions include:
- Assistant Secretary for the Office of Public and Indian Housing,
- Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research (PD&R),
- and Inspector Genera, Office of Inspector general.
Secretary Ben Carson has already said that he is pro-manufactured housing.
The industry is seeking additional insights on top issues, such as his willingness to replace Pam Danner as the head of the manufactured housing program. ## (News.)
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