New Urban Affairs director getting mixed reviews

A look at Carrión’s record

Wendy Natt, Mar 19, 09.

Adolfo Carrión Jr., the former Bronx borough president named director of the new White House Office of Urban Affairs by President Obama, is entering his new office with mixed reviews from his former constituents, says a New York Times article.

His supporters say the Bronx benefited from his seven years as borough president, during which time Carrión’s former office credits him with creating over 39,000 housing units, assisting in the development of much-needed mixed income housing, bringing in billions in retail development, a rail station, and the new Yankee Stadium. However, his critics say that some of his successes are exaggerated and that a number of commercial developments strongly backed by Carrión have been damaging to the community, according to the article.

As director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs, a new office created to steer federal investment toward urban areas, Carrión’s main concerns will be job creation, housing, and effective use of federal money to assist struggling urban communities.

Read the Obama Administration’s urban policy agenda at whitehouse.gov.

(Photo credit: Barack Obama)