Sandra Henriquez Sworn In As Asst. Sec. For HUD’s Office Of Public And Indian Housing

June 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - Sandra Brooks Henriquez was sworn in today as the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Henriquez will oversee the nation's public housing and rental assistance programs that assist approximately 3.2 million low-income families across the U.S. She will also be responsible for HUD's Native American and Native Hawaiian programs, which serves 562 federally recognized tribes.

"I'm honored and excited about joining the Obama Administration and Secretary Donovan as we work to preserve, improve and provide quality affordable housing that benefits so many hardworking Americans," said Henriquez. "My housing experience has taught me that improving one's education, employment status and healthcare begins when a family does not have to worry about having a home they can afford. That's why housing is my mission."

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"It's rumored that we are building a Dream Team to help renew the promise of America," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "Sandi's arrival and her infinite qualifications will only serve to add fuel to that fire."

For the past 13 years, Henriquez has been the Administrator and Chief Executive Officer of the Boston Housing Authority (BHA), one of the nation's largest public housing authorities. At BHA, she was responsible for an 850-person workforce, a $280 million budget and overseeing 11,500 public housing units and 13,000 rental assistance subsidies that house approximately 10 percent of the city's population.

Henriquez's guidance made BHA one of the leaders among housing authorities for redeveloping old public housing developments into thriving mixed-income communities using HUD's HOPE VI Revitalization program. She also created housing strategies and programs to help the homeless and introduced green principles into BHA business practices and building maintenance and construction. She also used Energy Performance Contracting to retrofit the housing authority's outdated heating plants, making them state-of-the-art, more efficient and less costly to operate, which created better living environments for residents.

"Sandy is the right person to lead our public housing transformation efforts," added Donovan. "The public and private collaboration and partnership efforts she led in Boston are a critical part of the new vision for HUD."

Henriquez, formerly the President and Director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA), has dedicated her life to housing others. Prior to working for BHA, she worked for Maloney Properties, Inc., of a full service real estate property management firm specializing in the delivery of services to resident-controlled and non-profit sponsored housing, headquartered in Wellesley, Mass. Before working for Maloney Properties, she served as the Director of Housing Management and Tenant Services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Department of Housing and Community Development.

Henriquez was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 21, 2009.

Source: HUD