The Senate voted on September 14 to confirm Pam Patenaude to serve as the next HUD deputy secretary. The final vote was 80-17, with three senators abstaining.
In her role as deputy secretary, Ms. Patenaude will coordinate much of HUD’s daily operations, working closely with the assistant secretaries and other leaders of the offices of Public and Indian Housing, Community Planning and Development, Policy Development and Research, Housing/Federal Housing Administration, Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, and others. She will also lead HUD’s disaster management and long-term recovery efforts related to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
“At this moment when so many of our citizens are suffering, Pam will bring strong leadership when we need her most,” HUD Secretary Ben Carson said in a statement. “Pam’s extensive housing and community development experience will be invaluable as we embark upon the long road to recovery for communities hard-hit by disaster and I’m grateful the Senate confirmed her nomination.”
Ms. Patenaude has been serving as the president of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Foundation for Housing America’s Families. Before that, she was the director of housing policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center. She also served as the HUD assistant secretary for Community Planning and Development under President George W. Bush.
Seventeen senators voted against Ms. Patenaude’s confirmation: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Tom Udall (D-NM).
See a press release from NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel congratulating Ms. Patenaude on her confirmation at: http://bit.ly/2y8WIAF