News Release

HUD GENERAL COUNSEL OPENS AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION'S 15TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LAW

WASHINGTON – Keith E. Gottfried, General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, delivered the opening keynote address this morning at the American Bar Association's 15th Annual Conference on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law. The two-day conference, being held in Washington, is sponsored by the ABA's Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law and is widely viewed as the leading conference covering critical aspects of affordable housing and community development law.

The theme of this year's conference is "In the Eye of The Storm" and will focus on the legal issues related to affordable housing and community development, which have emerged in the aftermath of the Gulf Coast hurricanes. In his keynote address, Gottfried discussed his plans to significantly enhance regulatory transparency at HUD and to improve the processes for providing regulatory guidance and seeking meaningful input from those subject to HUD's rules and regulations.

"Regulatory transparency is the key to developing more effective and efficient regulations as well as regulations of higher quality," said Gottfried. "Through the implementation of regulatory transparency, we hope to increase predictability, foster trust, promote regulatory quality, increase compliance, reduce compliance friction, leverage the private sector's knowledge and expertise, enable regulated entities to have sufficient clarity to take action without fear of violating the law and, last but not least, demonstrate our continuing commitment to democracy."

The full text of Mr. Gottfried's keynote address is available upon request.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and, supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.

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