FARÍAS SWORN IN AS HUD'S ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR FAIR HOUSING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

HUD Secretary Ben Carson delivering the oath of office to Anna Maria Farías with former FHEO Assistant Secretary Kim Kendrick (holding the bible)

WASHINGTON - Texas native Anna Maria Farías is the new Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Following her confirmation last week by the U.S. Senate, HUD Secretary Ben Carson today administered the oath of office to Farías who will now lead the Department's work to eliminate housing discrimination, promote economic opportunity, and achieve diverse, inclusive communities.

"We're thrilled to welcome Anna Maria back home to HUD," said Secretary Carson. "As she has in the past, Anna Maria will provide steady leadership and will advance HUD's mission as a manifestation of our nation's fair housing and civil rights laws."

"It is a singular honor to be asked by the President and the Secretary to return to an agency I love," said Farías. "I'm looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting down to work on behalf of the American people."

Farías previously served in senior roles at HUD during the George W. Bush Administration, including Director for HUD's Center for Faith-based and Community Initiatives and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grant Programs in the Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD). During her tenure in CPD, she led HUD's disaster recovery efforts following the devastating hurricanes in 2005, managing more than $16 billion in grants states in the Gulf Coast region. Since 2013, Farías served in several leadership roles on the Board of Regents at Texas Women's University, including Board Chair and Presiding Officer.

The mission of the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) is to eliminate housing discrimination, promote economic opportunity, and achieve diverse, inclusive communities by leading the nation in the enforcement, administration, development, and public understanding of federal fair housing policies and laws. FHEO enforces the Fair Housing Act of 1968 which protects people from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and family status.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and http://espanol.hud.gov.

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