President Obama Officially Taps Julian Castro to Join Cabinet

Earlier today, the president formally announced the nomination of San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The popular mayor of the country’s seventh largest city will replace outgoing Secretary Shaun Donovan, who has held the post since President Obama took office.

We’re thrilled the president has nominated yet another highly qualified Latino candidate whose experience serving as a three term mayor has undoubtedly prepared him to lead the nation’s top housing agency.

“As we have said, the president hit a home run with this nomination,” said NCLR President and CEO, Janet Murguía in a statement. “Julian Castro has become a respected and nationally acclaimed leader on urban revitalization and economic development, the issues at the heart of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s work”

The Senate should move quickly to confirm Mayor Castro. He would join the Small Business Administration’s Maria Contreras-Sweet and Labor Secretary Tom Perez as the third Latino in the president’s cabinet.

We look forward to working with Mayor Castro in the coming years.