Who's Next at HUD?

Who's next at HUD?

Washington insiders say the latest speculation is that the Bush
Administration's third and presumable last housing secretary might be James
B. Lockhart III, who is now director of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.

He would replace Alphonso Jackson, who leaves office April 18. He resigned
to focus on personal matters, according to his statement. He is under
investigation for steering lucrative federal contracts to his friends and
political allies.

The other leading candidate for the top job is Brian Montgomery, who is now
assistant secretary for housing. Several housing industry leaders, including
mortgage bankers, are hoping he will move up to the top job and that his
current deputy, John Garvin, can move up to be assistant secretary for
housing and commissioner of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).

Garvin is widely viewed as a very competent administrator who has tried to
move FHA programs forward despite many obstacles.