U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson says he will be stepping down as the nation's chief housing officer. Jackson will conclude his government service as the nation's 13th HUD secretary on April 18.
‘During my time here, I have sought to make America a better place to live, work and raise a family,’ says Jackson, who served as deputy secretary and then secretary. ‘I take great pride in working alongside some of the most dedicated civil servants in America. The hardworking people at HUD make a difference in the lives of thousands of Americans daily.’
During his seven-year tenure, Jackson oversaw internal changes at the Federal Housing Administration that led to the opportunity for more homeowners to obtain more affordable mortgages, a HUD press statement says. The creation of FHASecure, which Jackson implemented in September 2007, has helped more than 130,000 families refinance their exotic subprime loans, according to the statement.
Jackson says he is resigning, in part, because the time has come to ‘attend more diligently to personal and family matters.’
Jackson first joined the Bush Administration in June of 2001 as HUD's deputy secretary and chief operating officer. He was unanimously confirmed as the nation's 13th Secretary of HUD by the Senate on March 31, 2004. He is the only HUD secretary to run a public housing agency and serve as chairman of a redevelopment authority.