Let's Get to Know Obama's Cabinet: Shaun Donovan: Secretary of Housing & Urban Development (968 hits)

Mr. Donovan, is New York City's Housing Commissioner. The City's housing problem with its huge population make him uniquely qualified to balance luxury housing ( remember this city contains Trump's housing development portfolio ) and affordable housing based on income.

Two conflicting styles of living.

In an interview with the New York Observer, Mr. Donovan answered this concern about affordable housing: "What I would say is, it’s not enough. It has not been the major focus of our efforts. One of the reasons is, recognize that rent stabilization doesn’t target units to particular income groups. Rent stabilization only controls the rents; it does not require certain income levels to live in those units. " Moreover he says"

So we think it’s more efficient and effective in terms of creating new units to target those units to low- and moderate-income people. We need to go beyond what rent stabilization does, which is just keep rents lower, but not make sure people who really need the housing the most end up living in those units."

– President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday named New York City housing commissioner Shaun Donovan to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development, turning to a former Clinton administration aide with a national reputation for developing affordable housing.

Obama praised Donovan's record at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, where he managed a $7.5 billion plan with a goal of putting a half-million New Yorkers in affordable housing. The Harvard-educated architect also kept foreclosures to a minimum in the city's low- and moderate-income home ownership plan, with just five out of 17,000 participating homes.

"We can't keep throwing money at the problem, hoping for a different result," Obama said during his radio address released early Saturday. "We need to approach the old challenge of affordable housing with new energy, new ideas, and a new, efficient style of leadership. We need to understand that the old ways of looking at our cities just won't do."

While the mortgage crisis has threatened cities, Obama said it also provides a chance to rethink how the Cabinet agency can help urban residents. He said Donovan, who also has a degree in public service from Harvard, will bring "fresh thinking unencumbered by old ideology and outdated ideas."

Obama's selection of Donovan marks the 11th post he has filled in his cabinet, in just over a month since his election as the nation's first African American president."
AP

Mr. Obama has an Irish constituency, who supported him as well ,his paternal grandfather is Irish.

More info to come on his personal stats
Posted By: Marta Fernandez
Saturday, December 13th 2008 at 8:35AM
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