New York Housing Commissioner to Head HUD

"Barack Obama has chosen Shaun Donovan, a Harvard-educated New York City official with a background in affordable housing, as his nominee to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development."

"Mr Donovan was deputy assistant secretary at HUD during the Clinton administration. He later worked at Prudential Mortgage Capital."

"In 2004, Michael Bloomberg, New York mayor, named him commissioner of the city’s housing department."

"As a New York official, Mr Donovan managed one of the largest affordable housing programmes in the nation – attempting to expand low-cost housing amid pressure for commercial and high-end residential development."