March 05, 2021

White House Advisor on Housing and Urban Policy Announced

BY Linda Couch

On March 5, the White House formally announced the appointment of Erika Poethig as Special Assistant to the President for Housing and Urban Policy at the White House’s Domestic Policy Council (DPC).

LeadingAge looks forward to working with Ms. Poethig in her new role.

Ms. Poethig brings a wealth of experience to this position. Before joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Ms. Poethig was Chief Innovation Officer and Vice President for the Research to Action Lab at the Urban Institute. In the Obama-Biden Administration, she held several positions including Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Policy Development and Research at HUD and was a leading architect of the White House Council for Strong Cities, Strong Communities.

The DPC coordinates the development and implementation of the President’s domestic policy agenda in the White House and across the Federal government, ensuring that domestic policy decisions and programs are consistent with the President’s stated goals, and are carried out by federal agencies. The DPC is instrumental in working across agencies to foster solutions, potentially such as housing + services where HUD and HHS/CMS collaboration are key.

The March 5 announcement included several new White House staff. “These qualified, impressive, and dedicated individuals reflect the diversity and strength of America and will play critical roles advancing the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to tackling the crises we face and building back our country better,” the White House statement said.