NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today named Mitchell & Titus, LLP, a management consulting firm based in New York, to represent HUD as the Board of Commissioners for the Housing Authority of New Orleans.

The announcement was made by HUD Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing Harold Lucas at a HANO board meeting. Mr. Lucas had served as the Board of Commissioners for the housing authority from 1999 to the present.

"HUD has determined it is best to have a team of experts to function for HUD as the HANO board in order to continue the progress made under the previous arrangement," Lucas said. "We have found that expertise and commitment to New Orleans public housing in Mitchell & Titus."

The firm will report directly to the Assistant Secretary of Public and Indian Housing.

In 1996, HUD entered into an agreement with the city to help facilitate management of the once troubled agency. The agreement allows HUD, through its contractor, and the city to work together to improve the public housing in New Orleans for its residents and the community.

Mitchell & Titus, the largest minority-controlled certified public account and management consulting firm in the U.S., also has offices in Baltimore, Philadelphia and the District of Columbia. Founded in 1974, the firm is ranked among the 100 largest CPA firms in the nation.