VanAmerongen Resigns as NY Housing Commissioner

Deborah VanAmerongen, commissioner of the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal, is resigning effective Jan. 15, 2010, according to a statement from Governor David Paterson.

VanAmerongen, who has held the agency's top post since 2007, is expected to join the Nixon Peabody law firm as an adviser. Nixon Peabody has an active affordable housing practice.

Paterson praised VanAmerongen for her work in New York, including helping to author legislation and provide tens of thousands of units of affordable housing. "Perhaps her greatest achievement is helping to negotiate the recently completed refinancing of Starrett City, which will keep nearly 6,000 households affordable for an additional 30 years," he said.

VanAmerongen is the second state housing official to resign in recent weeks. Priscilla Almodovar, president and CEO of the New York State Housing Finance Agency and the State of New York Mortgage Agency, resigned in early December.

VanAmerongen is a member of Affordable Housing Finance's Editorial Advisory Board.