White House Nomimation - LAHD General Manager Mercedes Marquez

Repost from Mayor's Office Press Release

LOS ANGELES -- Mayor Villaraigosa today hailed the White House announcement that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has nominated City of Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) General Manager Mercedes Màrquez as their new Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development.

"Mercedes is energetic, passionate, and has a deep understanding of the challenges facing big cities," said Mayor Villaraigosa. "She will be a true partner for Los Angeles at the federal level. I look forward to working hand in hand with her to build more affordable housing, invest in communities, revitalize our urban core, and build the foundation for more housing options for our hard-working families."

Mercedes Márquez assumed her duties as the General Manager of the City of Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) in January 2004.

Ms. Marquez returned to public service after serving as Vice-President of McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc., a national firm specializing in the development, consultation, and management of urban communities. Ms. Márquez oversaw developments throughout the Southwest and California, which included initiating new developments, coordinating the planning process, acting as liaison with joint venture partners, and interfacing with government officials and local community groups.

Prior to her time with McCormack Baron Salazer, Inc., she served as in the Clinton administration as the Senior Counsel to the Secretary and Deputy General Counsel for Civil Rights and Fair Housing for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Washington, D.C. She was principal advisor to former Secretary Andrew Cuomo on civil rights policy including, fair lending and fair housing enforcement, and led investigations and negotiations of housing discrimination cases resulting in landmark settlements. She also advised the Secretary on rural housing and economic development policy, supervised farm worker and Colonias Community Builder specialists in five states, and served as a U.S. delegate to international commissions.

From 1992 to 1997, Ms. Márquez was a partner at Litt & Márquez, where she specialized in complex public interest litigation including, slumlord, fair housing, public housing, sexual harassment, employment discrimination, and constitutional issues cases.

Ms. Márquez is an Advisory Board Member of The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers & Human Rights Project and the Center for Urban Redevelopment Excellence, a former Trustee of The McAuley Institute, and past national Vice-President of the YWCA of the USA.

Under her leadership, the Housing Department manages one of the most successful competitive Affordable Housing Trust Funds in the nation, launched the City’s first Permanent Supportive Housing Fund, established the New Generation Fund - a $100 million Acquisition Capital Fund, received the Innovations in American Government Award from Harvard University, and was instrumental in the design of Mayor Villaraigosa’s 5 Year Los Angeles Housing Plan - the first comprehensive housing plan in the city’s history.

Ms. Márquez has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern California and a J.D. and LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center. She and her partner of twenty-one years, Mirta Ocaña, were married last year.

City of Los Angeles

MEDIA ADVISORY
April 17, 2009

CONTACT:
Jared Irmas
(213) 978-074