A Message From Assistant Secretary Mercedes Márquez

Hello, I'm Mercedes Márquez and I'm the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development.

Welcome to this website.

Its goal is to help NSP grantees implement a great program and transform communities.

What we're trying to achieve here is something perhaps a little different than you've seen in a while.

For CPD and for the Secretary, technical assistance is about capacity building.

It is about helping you with what you actually need to get your work done in the community.

The NSP program is a bit different from other programs we've had at HUD, in as much as it asks the public secretary to have to be involved in the private market in moving these distressed properties.

That's often difficult.

I can tell you that I come from the city of Los Angeles where I was the Housing Director and I was responsible for the NSP-1 plan in the beginning of its implementation.

I understand how difficult it is.

So we take that understanding and we're transforming it into a website that actually helps you get your work done.

We'll also have a way for you to contact us, let us know what we can do better, and we'll often pose questions seeking your input and your advice.

We'll be focusing in on best practices, there will be interactive tutorials, and we'll even have a library that will give you a packet of information.

For instance, a whole set of legal documents for acquisition and rehab.

I know it's difficult. And I know that we're facing tough times. I want to tell you we're really here to be your partner and to help make this work for us all and to move neighborhoods forward.

Thank you so very much.