MBA Urges Senate to Move on HUD Nominees

The Mortgage Bankers Association urged Senate leadership to act on key pending nominations at HUD, saying the department needs experienced leaders in place without delay.

MBA President and CEO David Stevens, CMB, in letters to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged a quick vote on Trump Administration nominees Pam Patenaude as HUD Deputy Secretary and Paul Compton as HUD General Counsel when the Senate returns from its August recess next week.

“Both Pam and Paul have extensive backgrounds in housing and a deep understanding of the challenges facing HUD, as well as the critical role the department plays in helping millions of American families,” Stevens wrote. “Paul has significant experience in the areas of tax credits and affordable housing and Pam possesses an unrivaled background honed over a 30-year career that included two prior tours of duty at HUD.”

Patenaude is president of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Foundation for America’s Families. She served previously at HUD as Assistant Secretary for Community, Planning and Development in the George W. Bush Administration and also served as director of housing policy with the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Housing Commission.

Compton is a partner with law firm Bradley Arant Boult Cummings in its Birmingham, Ala. Office. He serves as leader of the firm’s Affordable Housing and Community Development practice.

Stevens noted with several thousand Texans displaced from their homes in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, “It is now more critical than ever that HUD have a Deputy Secretary in place to oversee disaster recovery and coordination with other federal and state agencies working to address the housing situation in Houston. Pam played a key role in coordinating HUD’s response to natural disasters during her prior tenure at HUD and her experience in this regard will be highly beneficial to the department.”

“MBA urges the Senate to approve their nominations quickly and we look forward to working with them in their new roles,” Stevens said.