As the incoming Administration considers people for its cabinet, I have been thinking a lot about my own experience, and what I think the attributes of a successful leader are for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): an understanding of the federal government and its functions, knowledge of housing and programs operated by the Department, will to remove roadblocks to progress, and – perhaps most importantly – doing their work in the best interest of the people the Department serves.
The role of HUD Secretary has so many important functions related to the work we do, and a big impact on the work to end homelessness. Some of you reading this blog may know that I was a career professional at HUD from 2007 to 2017. That means I served three Administrations – Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump – and under (by my count) five different Secretaries and three more Acting Secretaries from both parties. My role was not dependent on which President was in office, nor what party was in office. I’ve seen what strong leadership in this role can look like, and how party should not influence decisions being made on homelessness and housing priorities.
What Does a HUD Secretary Do?
HUD is an agency responsible for national policy and programs that address America’s housing needs, that improve and develop the nation’s communities, and enforce fair housing laws, among many other things.
A HUD Secretary serves as part of the President’s cabinet and advises the President on key items related to their Department. They also manage – usually with the Deputy Secretary – the actual operations of the Department: developing the Department’s annual budget, directing the work of the major offices within the Department (like the Office of Fair Housing, the Office of Public and Indian Housing and the Office of Community Planning and Development, to name a few), and serving on the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, among other important government councils and bodies. The Secretary – in effect – represents the interests of the people served by the Department at the highest levels of the federal government. With an increasing focus on housing in this election, we should all understand the rising importance of the role of HUD Secretary in this moment.
What a HUD Secretary Should Know
The Secretary’s role is to set the tone and priorities for the Department as a whole. An effective Secretary typically has expertise in government – sometimes as an elected or appointed official at the state or local level – and a working knowledge of the economic factors related to housing and the programs operated by the Department. They understand the levers that can help the Department meet its goals and can work with elected leaders across the nation and in Congress to get positive work accomplished. Most importantly, they care deeply about the people the Department serves.
For example, combatting homelessness was a significant priority under the Secretaries I worked with during the Bush and Obama Administrations. The Housing First approach to serving people experiencing homelessness (i.e., providing safe and affordable housing without preconditions, and the services people want and need) was first identified as a priority at HUD under Secretary Mel Martinez (2001-2004). Under Secretaries Shaun Donovan and Julián Castro, the Obama Administration adopted the goals of ending homelessness for veterans, people who experience chronic homelessness, families, and youth These priorities set the roadmap for the Department’s work on signature programs like HUD-VASH, the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program and the Continuum of Care Program. When a Secretary sets a priority or a goal, career and political staff have something clear to aim for.
What Makes an Effective HUD Secretary
In my experience, one of the most important ways for a Secretary to be effective is to trust and support the expert career staff – who have often honed their expertise and skills over many years – to do their work in the best interests of the people the Department is designed to serve. In the case of HUD, the Department serves people who have low or extremely low incomes, people experiencing homelessness and housing instability, Tribal Nations, people in rural areas of America, older adults, people with disabilities, people living with HIV/AIDS, people who have been discriminated against in their search for housing, and many others. The most effective Secretaries remove internal and external roadblocks that can keep the Department from making progress towards its mission – to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.
My hope as the incoming Administration selects the next HUD Secretary is for a leader who can and will support not only the people served by the Department’s programs, but the expert career staff who form the backbone of the Department’s work.