San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro will be the next secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The Senate easily confirmed his nomination, voting 71-26. Castro, who was nominated by President Obama to take over the HUD post in May, replaces Shaun Donovan, who’s been the housing secretary since 2009. Donovan was confirmed by the Senate to become director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Last month, Castro told the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs that he would bring both professional and personal experience to HUD.
“I grew up on the West Side of San Antonio in a neighborhood of hard-working families of very modest means,” he said. “My father—at two different times in his life—lived in public housing. My mother worked for the San Antonio Housing Authority.”
Castro, 39, is a rising star in the Democratic Party, and the national post is expected to help boost his profile. His twin brother is U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro.
Obama cited Castro’s work in helping to revitalize San Antonio. City leaders have successfully directed federal attention and dollars to the city. San Antonio recently earned a Choice Neighborhoods grant from HUD, and it's among the first cities taking part in the Promise Zone Initiative that aims to create better neighborhoods.
Castro will be the second San Antonio mayor to become HUD secretary. Henry Cisneros also served as the city’s mayor before joining the Clinton administration.
Connect with Donna Kimura, deputy editor of Affordable Housing Finance, on Twitter @DKimura_AHF.
