NALEO Calls for Nomination of Julian Castro to Serve as Nation's Next U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) today called for the nomination of Julian Castro to serve as the next U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development:

"We call on President Obama to nominate San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro to serve as the nation's next Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and third Latino cabinet member.  A three-term mayor of the nation's seventh largest city, we know Castro would bring bold leadership and a wealth of economic expansion and community development experience to this critical position.

"During his three terms in office, Mayor Castro has implemented groundbreaking initiatives to attract higher paying 21^st century jobs and spur urban core revitalization within the City of San Antonio.  As part of these efforts, Mayor Castro has worked to attract businesses and residents back to the city's center through a campaign known as the "Decade of Downtown".  Two years after Mayor Castro launched the initiative, more than 2,400 housing units representing a total investment of $349.8 million have been slated for construction by the end of 2014 in San Antonio's center city.  Under Mayor Castro's leadership, San Antonio also begun plans to expand the city's convention center and restore the site of the 1968 world's fair HemisFair Park, to its former glory as a world-class public space.

"A rising star within the nation's deep bench of talented Latino elected officials on both sides of the aisle, Mayor Castro has built an extraordinary record of accomplishment in the five short years he has led the City of San Antonio.  Under his leadership, the City of San Antonio was named one of seven "enterprising cities" in America by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for its success in building a culture of business (2013), as well as the honor of being one of only five cities nationwide to receive a federal Promise Zone grant to help spark community revitalization in the area.  The grant has allowed the City of San Antonio to focus on public-private partnerships to foster job creation and training in key growth areas, as well as increasing enrollment in high quality pre-K and STEM programs and expanding public safety activities to facilitate neighborhood revitalization.

"If nominated and confirmed, we have no doubt Mayor Castro will bring his 'can do' attitude and visionary leadership to Washington D.C. for the benefit of the President and all Americans.  We call on the President to nominate Mayor Castro to serve as the next Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and stand ready and willing to work side-by-side with the President to support his nomination to this important post."

About NALEO
The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials is the leadership organization of the nation's more than 6,000 Latino elected and appointed officials. 

Contact: Amanda Bosquez, [email protected]
(202) 546-2536 ext. 112, (361) 548-6989 (cell)

Paula Valle Castanon, [email protected]
(213) 747-7606 ext. 4414, (323) 253-6431 (cell)

SOURCE National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials