A new prestigious award - the Life Time Achievement in Fair Housing - will be part of HUD's continuing celebration of Fair Housing Month, today at 10:30 AM in the HUD Headquarters Cafeteria. The full event also will be broadcast on HUD TV. The new award is in memory of HUD's first Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Samuel J. Simmons.

Mr. Simmons, who died on January 12, 2003, served as Assistant Secretary from 1969 to 1972. He was a proponent of the affirmative marketing of housing to minorities, and authored advertising guidelines that established the familiar "Equal Housing Opportunity" logo, which now appears on real estate ads and sales materials, and on lending institution documents. Learn more about Mr. Simmons and his distinguished career.

Following this special Fair Housing Event, stay tuned for the kickoff of the "HUD News Network." The first in a series of monthly broadcasts, produced by HUD's Office of Public Affairs, you'll get all the news, 'fair and complete.'

The program will include interviews with HUD policy makers, updates on national events, and more, all presented by 'HUD and friends.' Stay tuned, following the special Fair Housing Month event, for the premier broadcast of the HUD News Network (also available as a HUD webcast). This month's broadcast has a special Fair Housing Month theme, as well as a Q&A session featuring questions from HUD field offices.