The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) on Monday congratulated retiring Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge on her tenure.
“NAREB congratulates Secretary Fudge on her retirement, recognizing that she will continue to embrace those goals as she writes her next chapter in an extraordinary public service career,” NAREB President Courtney Johnson Rose said of Fudge, who announced Monday that she would be stepping down from the position on March 22.
Rose lauded Fudge as a champion of racial equity, advocating policies to eliminate systemic housing discrimination and reducing the racial wealth gap — causes pushed by NAREB. She noted Fudge helped more than two million families stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure, removed barriers for people with student loan debt trying to buy a home with an FHA mortgage and ensured positive rental histories play a role in creditworthiness for a home loan.
Additionally, Rose said Fudge initiated programs that are sensitive to climate change, especially in communities of color. Fudge supported the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, which requires local governments to address segregation and unequal access to opportunity in their housing policies.
Rose also acknowledged Fudge’s efforts to prevent appraisal bias, pointing out her service as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing the Cleveland area from November 2008 to March 2021.
“Secretary Fudge set high standards and committed to ensuring that every American from all walks of life has opportunities to succeed,” Rose said. “She continued that path at HUD, where her initiatives are changing America. Our nation is a better place because of her service.”
