United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Official Seal
Incumbent
Shaun Donovan
since January 26, 2009[1]
Formation September 9, 1965
First holder Robert C. Weaver
Succession 13th
Website www.hud.gov

The United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is the head of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, a member of the President's Cabinet, and thirteenth in the Presidential line of succession. The post was created with the formation of the Department of Housing and Urban Development on September 9, 1965, by President Lyndon B. Johnson's signing of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act (Pub.L. 89-174) into law.[2] The Department's mission is "to increase homeownership, support community development and increase access to affordable housing free from discrimination."[3]

Robert C. Weaver became the first African American Cabinet member by being appointed to the position. The department was also the first Cabinet department to be headed by an African American woman, Patricia Roberts Harris, in 1977. Henry Cisneros became the first Hispanic HUD Secretary in 1993. The current Secretary is Shaun Donovan.

Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development

Parties

      Democratic       Republican

Status
  Denotes acting Secretary
No. Portrait Name State of Residence Took Office Left Office President(s)
1 Robert C. Weaver New York January 18, 1966 December 18, 1968 Lyndon B. Johnson
2 Robert C. Wood Massachusetts January 7, 1969 January 20, 1969
3 George W. Romney Michigan January 22, 1969 January 20, 1973 Richard Nixon
4 James Thomas Lynn Ohio February 2, 1973 February 5, 1975
Gerald Ford
5 Carla Anderson Hills California March 10, 1975 January 20, 1977
6 Patricia R. Harris Illinois January 23, 1977 September 10, 1979 Jimmy Carter
7 Moon Landrieu Louisiana September 24, 1979 January 20, 1981
8 Samuel Pierce New York January 23, 1981 January 20, 1989 Ronald Reagan
- J. Michael Dorsey January 20, 1989 February 13, 1989 George H. W. Bush
9 Jack Kemp New York February 13, 1989 January 20, 1993
10 Henry Cisneros Texas January 22, 1993 January 20, 1997 Bill Clinton
11 Andrew Cuomo New York January 29, 1997 January 20, 2001
- William C. Apgar January 20, 2001 January 24, 2001 George W. Bush
12 Mel Martinez Florida January 24, 2001 December 12, 2003
13 Alphonso Jackson Texas December 12, 2003 April 1, 2004
April 1, 2004 April 18, 2008
- Roy A. Bernardi New York April 18, 2008 June 4, 2008
14 Steve Preston Illinois June 4, 2008 January 20, 2009
- Brian D. Montgomery January 20, 2009 January 26, 2009 Barack Obama
15 Shaun Donovan New York January 26, 2009[1] Incumbent

Living former Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development

References

  1. ^ a b Staff (2009-01-29). "Shaun Donovan Secretary U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development". Department of Housing and Urban Development. http://www.hud.gov/about/secretary/donovanbio.cfm. Retrieved 2009-01-30. "On January 26, 2009, Shaun Donovan was sworn in as the 15th United States Secretary for Housing and Urban Development." 
  2. ^ "HUD History". U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/about/hud_history. Retrieved January 10, 2010. 
  3. ^ "Mission". U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/about/mission. Retrieved January 10, 2010. 
United States presidential line of succession
Preceded by
Secretary of Health and Human Services		 13th in line Succeeded by
Secretary of Transportation

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