The FHA’s top job now has a nominee.
Matt Jones, deputy assistant secretary for single-family housing at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, has been nominated to serve as Federal Housing Administration commissioner by President Donald Trump, filling the seat left vacant by Frank Cassidy’s resignation in June. The nomination has drawn early support from the National Association of Realtors, the Mortgage Bankers Association and the National Housing Conference.
In that role, Jones oversees an FHA insurance portfolio of more than 8 million loans with an unpaid principal balance exceeding $1.6 trillion, according to National Mortgage Professional.
He previously served as associate vice president of government housing finance at the Mortgage Bankers Association and as senior counsel for the Senate Banking Committee. If confirmed, he would hold the title of HUD assistant secretary for housing along with FHA commissioner.
The nomination now goes to the Senate Banking Committee, which will schedule a confirmation hearing before a floor vote.
The National Association of Realtors said it supports the nomination. NAR Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn said in a statement that Jones “brings extensive experience in housing finance, including his current role overseeing FHA’s single-family portfolio,” and cited his service at HUD, the Mortgage Bankers Association and the Senate Banking Committee.
MBA President and CEO Bob Broeksmit also endorsed the nomination. “MBA enthusiastically supports the nomination of Matt Jones to serve as HUD Assistant Secretary of Housing and FHA Commissioner,” Broeksmit said in a statement, pointing to Jones’ prior leadership of MBA’s government housing finance portfolio.
National Housing Conference President and CEO David Dworkin said Jones has “consistently demonstrated a commitment to expanding access to affordable housing and ensuring that gains in homeownership are sustainable for the long term,” and called on the Senate to confirm him “as expeditiously as possible.” Dworkin also credited Ginnie Mae President Joseph Gormley for serving as acting FHA commissioner since Cassidy’s departure.
