Thanking HUD Secretary Fudge as She Retires

Today, HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge will retire and step down from her role in President Biden's cabinet and from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It is hard to adequately describe the impact that she has had over the course of her career on affordable housing and many other critical needs in our community. 

I had the pleasure of meeting Secretary Fudge nearly 15 years ago, when she was in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she served for over 12 years prior to her cabinet appointment. She succeeded Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, my former boss, as the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in 2013. Having previously been a Mayor in Ohio, then Rep. Fudge and Rep. Cleaver, also a former Mayor, had a strong bond and close friendship. Although they both publicly joke that she is really very good friends with Dianne Cleaver, and they both just allow him to tag along.

Throughout LISC's 40+ year history, we have worked closely with HUD on a variety of issues. Just two months into her new role, Secretary Fudge came thru Kansas City in May 2021 to discuss the President's housing efforts. I had the pleasure of spending the day with her and the regional HUD team, as they toured various parts of our community, including the CHOICE neighborhood projects in the Historic Northeast, as well as new affordable housing from Brinshore, Mattie Rhodes, and Samuel Rodgers Health Center. She met with tenants at multiple stops to understand issues they were facing. She was deeply engaged and listened with empathy. After she enjoyed lunch at the Gates BBQ at 12th & Brooklyn, we snapped a quick picture.

Over the past three years, Secretary Fudge has worked closely with our LISC teams across the country. Among other joint appearances, she has served on a couple of panels with multiple LISC staff at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference, and a small group of us were able to visit with her briefly this past September in Washington, DC. Under Secretary Fudge's leadership, nearly a quarter of a million Black Americans have purchased homes, as she has fought tirelessly to increase opportunities for generational wealth in communities of color.

We wish Secretary Fudge the very best in this next chapter of life, and extend our heartfelt appreciation for her lifelong commitment to creating affordable housing for all. Thank you.