New Name Thrown Into Ring as Possible HUD Secretary

A new name for HUD Secretary has been thrown into the ring. Standing among other prospects like Robert Astorino and Pam Patenaude, Robert (Bob) Woodson, Sr., current Top Advisor to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, at age 79 could potentially be the next HUD Secretary according to The Washington Post.

“They seem to be very serious about it,” said Woodson in an interview with The Washington Post. “I’m not job hunting, but we’re talking about how I could possibly work with him. We’re talking about how we could work with those across the aisle to do these things together.”

But what are Woodson’s qualifications to take on a role such as this?
Aside from his work with Speaker Ryan, Woodson is also Founder and President of the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, an organization established to help those in low-income neighborhoods address the problems of their communities.

Bob Woodson

“Often referred to as the ‘godfather’ of the movement to empower neighborhood-based organizations, Bob Woodson’s social activism dates back to the 1960s, when as a young civil rights activist, he developed and coordinated national and local community development programs,” says the Center’s website. “During the 1970’s he directed the National Urban League’s Administration of Justice division. Later he served as a Resident Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. For more than four decades, he has promoted the principles of self-help and neighborhood empowerment and the importance of the institutions of civil society.”

With HUD being established to “create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all,” it seems that these principles fall right in line with the work Woodson has been doing for over three and a half decades at the Center.

Trump’s camp has not announced who will take on this position, but DS News will be closely following the developments for this appointment as the position of HUD Secretary will heavily impact the state of the industry for the duration of the Trump presidency.