The Trump administration nominated Anna Maria Farias to serve as HUD’s assistant secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO). Ms. Farias is the chair of the Board of Regents at Texas Woman’s University. She held several roles at HUD between 2001 and 2008, including senior counsel to former HUD Secretary Mel Martinez, deputy assistant secretary for special initiatives, deputy assistant secretary for grant programs overseeing the Community Development Block Grant program, and director for the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.
From 1992 to1993, Ms. Farias was a member of the Wage Appeals Board and the Board of Service Contract Appeals at the Department of Labor. Earlier in her career she worked under Secretary of Education William J Bennett from 1985 to 1988. From 1980-1985, Ms. Farias was an attorney at the Office of General Counsel, Merit Systems Protection Board. And from 1989 to 1992, she was counsel to a member of the National Labor Relations Board.
Ms. Farias grew up in the public housing in Crystal City, Texas, and later returned to be the executive director of the public housing agency there from 1993 to 2000.