-increasing public and building industry awareness of the dangers of lead-based paint poisoning and the options for detection, risk reduction, and abatement; -encouraging the development of safer, more effective, and less costly methods for detection, risk reduction, and abatement; and -encouraging State and local governments to develop lead-based paint programs covering primary prevention, including public education, contractor certification, hazard reduction, financing, and enforcement. For further information, contact the Director, Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and administers: -fair housing laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination in public and private housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, or familial status; -equal opportunity laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination in HUD-assisted housing and community development programs on the basis of race, handicap, sex, age, or national origin; -the Fair Housing Assistance program to provide financial and technical assistance to State and local government agencies to implement local fair housing laws and ordinances; and -the Community Housing Resources Boards (CHRB's) program to provide grants for fair housing activities such as outreach and education, identification of institutional barriers to fair housing, and complaint telephone hotlines. For further information, contact the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. Phone, 202-708-4252. Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing This office: -administers public and Indian housing programs, including rental and homeownership programs, and provides technical and financial assistance in planning, developing, and managing low-income projects; -provides operating subsidies for public housing agencies (PHA's) and Indian housing authorities (IHA's), including procedures for reviewing the management of public housing agencies; -administers the comprehensive improvement assistance and comprehensive grant programs for modernization of low-income housing projects to upgrade living conditions, correct physical deficiencies, and achieve operating efficiency and economy; -administers the Resident Initiatives Program for resident participation, resident management, homeownership, economic development and supportive services, and drug-free neighborhood programs; -protects tenants from the hazards of lead-based paint poisoning by requiring PHA's and IHA's to comply with HUD regulations for the testing and removal of lead-based paint from low-income housing units; -implements and monitors program requirements related to program eligibility and admission of families to public and assisted housing, and tenant income and rent requirements pertaining to continued occupancy; -administers the HOPE VI and vacancy reduction programs; -administers the Section 8 voucher and certificate programs and the Moderate Rehabilitation program; -coordinates all departmental housing and community development programs for Indian and Alaskan Natives; and -awards grants to PHA's and IHA's for the construction, acquisition, and operation of public and Indian housing projects, giving priority to projects for larger families (3 or more bedrooms) and acquisition of existing units. For further information, contact the Office of Public and Indian Housing. Phone, 202-708-0950. Government National Mortgage Association This office, also known as Ginnie Mae (GNMA), is a Government corporation, who's purpose is to support the Government's housing objectives by: -establishing secondary market facilities for residential mortgages; -guaranteeing mortgage-backed securities composed of FHA-insured or VA-guaranteed mortgage loans that are issued by private lenders and guaranteed by GNMA with the full faith and credit of the United States; and -through its mortgage-backed securities programs, increasing the Field Structure The field offices of the Department have boundaries prescribed by the Secretary. Each field office is headed by a Secretary's Representative, who is responsible to the Secretary for the management of the offices within the prescribed area. overall supply of credit available for housing by providing a vehicle for channeling funds from the securities market into the mortgage market. For further information, contact the Government National Mortgage Association. Phone, 202-7080926. For information concerning the detailed jurisdiction of an office, contact the nearest area office. The field activities of the Office of the Inspector General are carried out through the field offices listed in the following table. Area/State Offices—Department of Housing and Urban Development Area/State Offices-Department of Housing and Urban Development-Continued (SR: Secretary's Representative; A: District Inspector General for Audit; SA: Special Agent in Charge) Inquiries on the following subjects should be directed to the nearest field office or to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20410. Phone, 202-708–1112 (voice). TDD, 202-708-1455. Directory Locator Phone, 202-7081112 (voice); or 202-708-1455 (TDD). Contracts Contact the Office of Procurement and Contracts (phone, 202708-1290); or the Regional Contracting Division at the nearest HUD field office. Property Disposition Single family properties: contact the Property Disposition Division (phone, 202-7080740); or the Chief Property Officer at the nearest HUD field office. Multifamily properties: contact the Property Disposition Division (phone, 202-7083343); or the Field Housing Director at the nearest HUD field office. Employment Inquiries and applications should be directed to the headquarters Office of Personnel (phone, 202-708 The 0408); or the Personnel Division at the nearest HUD field office. Program Information Center Center provides viewing facilities for information regarding departmental activities and functions and publications and other literature to headquarters visitors. Phone, 202-708-1420. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests Persons interested in inspecting documents or records under the Freedom of Information Act should contact the Freedom of Information Officer. Phone, 202-708-3054. Written requests should be directed to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Director, Executive Secretariat, Room 10139, 451 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20410. HUD Hotline The Hotline is maintained by the Office of the Inspector General as a means for individuals to report activities involving fraud, waste, or mismanagement. Phone, 202-7084200 or 800-347-3735 (toll-free). TDD, 202-708-2451. For further information, contact the Office of Public Affairs, 451 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20410. Phone, 202-708-0980. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20240 Phone, 202-208-3171 SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR Deputy Secretary Chief of Staff Deputy Chief of Staff Special Trustee for American Indians Counselor to the Secretary for Policy Special Assistant to the Secretary and White Director, Office of Communications Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and Counselor to the Secretary Special Assistant to the Secretary and Special Assistant to the Secretary for Alaska Special Assistant to the Secretary BRUCE BABBITT JOHN R. GARAMENDI ANNE H. SHIELDS SUSAN K. RIEFF PAUL N. HOMAN MELANIE BELLER JOHN J. DUFFY, JAMES H. PIPKIN JOSEPH L. SAX ROBERT K. HATTOY MICHAEL GAULDIN LUCIA A. WYMAN LESLIE M. TURNER NANCY K. HAYES JULIE FALKNER DEBORAH L. WILLIAMS EDWARD B. COHEN (VACANCY) GLYNN D. KEY ROBERT T. ANDERSON SHARON D. ELLER ROBERT P. DAVISON MOLLIE BEATTIE H. RONALD PULLIAM ROGER G. KENNEDY The mission of the Department of the Interior is to protect and provide access to our Nation's natural and cultural heritage and honor our trust responsibilities to tribes. This includes fostering sound use of our land and water resources; assessing and protecting our fish, wildlife, and biological diversity; preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places; and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our mineral resources and works to ensure that their development is in the best interests of all our people by encouraging stewardship and citizen participation in their care. The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in insular areas under U.S. administration. |