The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Friday announced the appointment of six new members to its Housing Counseling Federal Advisory Committee, and the re-appointment of two current members of the Committee.
In addition, HUD is announcing today that it intends to expand the Committee in the future from eight members back to twelve members as authorized by statute. Additional members will represent the mortgage industry, the real estate industry, consumers, and HUD-approved housing counseling agencies. HUD will be publishing a notice in the Federal Register with more details on the expansion and to seek nominations for the four new members.
“My thanks to all of the members of the Housing Counseling Federal Advisory Committee for their dedication to helping shape the future direction of HUD’s Housing Counseling Program,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “Now more than ever, HUD-certified housing counselors are fulfilling a critical role in helping homeowners and renters remain in their homes as our country continues to address the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic impacts that resulted.”
The following new members of the Committee announced today will serve three-year terms:
- Ibijoke Akinbowale, Director, National Community Reinvestment Coalition Housing Counseling Network
- Lawrence Batiste, President, Batiste Premier Realty
- Carol Ann Dujanovich, Vice President and Director of Operations, 1st Nations Reverse Mortgage
- Marcia Lewis, Deputy Executive Director – Change Management, Indianapolis Housing Authority
- Bill Sevilla, Director, Community Development and Asset Building, Centro Campesino; and
- Tony Walters, Executive Director, National American Indian Housing Council.
These newly appointed members are joined by the following Committee members who have been re-appointed for additional three-year terms:
- Patricia Arvielo, President and Co-Founder, New American Funding; and
- Paul Yorkis, President, Patriot Real Estate.
Committee meetings are open to the public. HUD publishes in the Federal Register the dates of each Committee meeting in advance of each meeting.
About HUD’s Housing Counseling Federal Advisory Committee
HUD established the Housing Counseling Federal Advisory Committee in April 2015 to advise HUD’s Office of Housing Counseling on the best uses of its resources to provide more individuals and families with quality counseling services. The Committee provides a forum for those involved in housing counseling to offer advice directly to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing Counseling David Berenbaum on ways to accomplish the objectives of HUD’s Office of Housing Counseling. Additional information about the Housing Counseling Federal Advisory Committee can be found on HUD Exchange.