The Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee held a nomination hearing for three assistant secretary positions at the Department of Housing and Development (HUD). The HUD nominations considered in the hearing were Julia Gordon for assistant secretary for housing and Federal Housing Administration commissioner; David Uejio for assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity; and Solomon Greene for assistant secretary for policy development and research.
Julia Gordon currently serves as president of the National Community Stabilization Trust. She previously worked as senior director of housing and consumer finance at the Center for American Progress, managed a policy team overseeing the efforts of Fannie Mae to provide loss mitigation for homeowners, and served at the Center for Responsible Lending with a focus on advocating on predatory mortgage lending and foreclosure prevention. She said that if confirmed, she would prioritize increasing the supply of affordable housing for both rental and ownership and advance time-sensitive priorities of the Biden administration, HUD Secretary Fudge, and Congress, including preventing foreclosures.
David Uejio currently serves as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and has been with the agency since 2012. Prior to becoming acting director, Uejio served as CFPB’s acting chief of staff, lead for talent acquisition, and chief strategy officer, as well as other positions at National Institutes of Health, Office of Personnel Management, and Office of the Secretary of Defense. Mr. Uejio stated that if confirmed, he will enforce the nation’s fair housing laws in accordance with the mission of the Fair Housing Enforcement Act and the intention of the Fair Housing Act. In response to members of the committee’s questions, he also stated that he will take cases of discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community and people with disabilities.
Solomon Greene currently serves as a senior fellow in the Reach to Action Lab and the Metropolitan Housing and Community Policy Center at the Urban Institute. He previously has served as senior advisor to the HUD secretary focusing on federal policies to reduce segregation and expand neighborhood choice, as well as a principal adviser on the Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. In his testimony, Mr. Greene stated that his work on housing and urban development policy has been motivated by three long-held commitments. First, his career has been dedicated to helping families find and keep stable and affordable housing. Second, he believes that evidence-based housing and community development policies can help ensure that every child has a fair shot in life. Finally, he has a passion for using the best available data and evidence to inform public policy decisions at all levels of government. Mr. Greene said that if confirmed, he will apply these commitments to advance HUD’s mission.
A confirmation vote for the nominees is expected to occur soon.
Access a recording of the hearing and written testimonies on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affair’s website: https://bit.ly/3AcZ7JP