In Mississippi: Pilot program increases number of licensed, diverse appraisers

From left, Jim Park, Executive Director of the Appraisal Subcommittee, Ashley Lowe, FHEO Programs & Compliance Branch Chief, and Melissa Bond, MPAT Developer and Manager.

Mississippi Practical Appraiser Training cohort and program mentors.

The State of Mississippi participated in a pilot initiative designed to increase the number of licensed appraisers in the state as well as recruit diverse appraisers. The Mississippi Practical Appraiser Training (MPAT) program is the first of its kind that provides appraiser applicants the opportunity to train for licensure without going through the traditional trainee process. On August 24th, 2022, 17 participants successfully completed the innovative training program. HUD's Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Programs & Compliance Branch Chief Ashley Lowe was there to congratulate them.

The program was developed and managed by Melissa Bond, one of Mississippi's leading appraisal instructors. Keynote speakers at the ceremony included Jim Park, Executive Director of the Appraisal Subcommittee, Norman Cannady Jr., Chair of the Mississippi Appraisal Board, and several MPAT participants who spoke to the impact of the program on their professional growth and development. The timeliness of the program especially coincides with the Department's Property Valuation and Appraisal Equity PAVE initiative (www.youtube.com/watch?v=MetZLOAQTqg), an interagency task force co-chaired by Secretary Fudge, launched to combat bias in home appraisals.

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