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91–486 PDF 2014

S. HRG. 113–485 

NOMINATIONS OF: LOURDES MARIA CASTRO 

RAMIREZ AND THERESE W. McMILLAN 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON 

BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS 

UNITED STATES SENATE 

ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS 

SECOND SESSION 

ON 

NOMINATIONS OF: 

LOURDES MARIA CASTRO RAMIREZ, OF CALIFORNIA, TO BE ASSISTANT

SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING

AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

THERESE W. MCMILLAN, OF CALIFORNIA, TO BE FEDERAL TRANSIT

ADMINISTRATOR, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

NOVEMBER 13, 2014 

Printed for the use of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 

( 

Available at: http://www.fdsys.gov/ 

COMMITTEE ON BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS 

TIM JOHNSON, South Dakota, Chairman 

JACK REED, Rhode Island 

CHARLES E. SCHUMER, New York 

ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey 

SHERROD BROWN, Ohio 

JON TESTER, Montana 

MARK R. WARNER, Virginia 

JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon 

KAY HAGAN, North Carolina 

JOE MANCHIN III, West Virginia 

ELIZABETH WARREN, Massachusetts 

HEIDI HEITKAMP, North Dakota 

MIKE CRAPO, Idaho 

RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama 

BOB CORKER, Tennessee 

DAVID VITTER, Louisiana 

MIKE JOHANNS, Nebraska 

PATRICK J. TOOMEY, Pennsylvania 

MARK KIRK, Illinois 

JERRY MORAN, Kansas 

TOM COBURN, Oklahoma 

DEAN HELLER, Nevada 

CHARLES YI, Staff Director 

GREGG RICHARD, Republican Staff Director 

LAURA SWANSON, Deputy Staff Director 

BRIAN FILIPOWICH, Professional Staff Member 

BETH COOPER, Professional Staff Member 

HOMER CARLISLE, Professional Staff Member 

GREG DEAN, Republican Chief Counsel 

CHAD DAVIS, Republican Professional Staff Member 

RACHEL JOHNSON, Republican Professional Staff Member 

DAWN RATLIFF, Chief Clerk 

TROY CORNELL, Hearing Clerk 

SHELVIN SIMMONS, IT Director 

JIM CROWELL, Editor 

(II)

C O N T E N T S 

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2014 

Page 

Opening statement of Chairman Johnson ............................................................. 1 

Opening statements, comments, or prepared statements of: 

Senator Crapo 

Prepared statement ................................................................................... 13 

Senator Menendez 

Prepared statement ................................................................................... 13 

NOMINEES 

Lourdes Maria Castro Ramirez, of California, to be Assistant Secretary for 

Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban 

Development ......................................................................................................... 2 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 14 

Biographical sketch of nominee ....................................................................... 16 

Responses to written questions of: 

Senator Crapo ............................................................................................ 30 

Senator Menendez ..................................................................................... 31 

Senator Tester ........................................................................................... 34 

Senator Vitter ............................................................................................ 37 

Senator Toomey ......................................................................................... 38 

Therese W. McMillan, of California, to be Federal Transit Administrator, 

Department of Transportation ............................................................................ 4 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 23 

Biographical sketch of nominee ....................................................................... 24 

Responses to written questions of: 

Senator Crapo ............................................................................................ 40 

Senator Menendez ..................................................................................... 41 

Senator Tester ........................................................................................... 42 

Senator Warren ......................................................................................... 44 

Senator Heitkamp ..................................................................................... 45 

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL SUPPLIED FOR THE RECORD

Letter submitted by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment 

Officials ................................................................................................................. 47 

Letter submitted by the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association ....... 49 

Letter submitted by the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda ......................... 51 

Letter submitted by the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations ................................................................................................ 52 

Letter submitted by the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority .................................................................................................... 53 

Letter submitted by Inland Action ......................................................................... 54 

Letter submitted by the Riverside County Transportation Commission ............ 55 

Letter submitted by Malcolm Dougherty, Director, California Department 

of Transportation ................................................................................................. 56 

Letter submitted by the California Alliance for Jobs ........................................... 57 

Letter submitted by the Southern California Regional Rail Authority 

(Metrolink) ............................................................................................................ 58 

Letter submitted by the Central Coast Coalition ................................................. 59 

(III)

(1) 

NOMINATIONS OF LOURDES MARIA CASTRO 

RAMIREZ, OF CALIFORNIA, TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC AND INDIAN 

HOUSING, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND 

URBAN DEVELOPMENT; AND THERESE W. 

McMILLAN, OF CALIFORNIA, TO BE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATOR, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2014 

U.S. SENATE, 

COMMITTEE ON BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS, 

Washington, DC. 

The Committee met at 11:03 a.m., in room SD–538, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Tim Johnson, Chairman of the Committee, presiding. 

OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN TIM JOHNSON 

Chairman JOHNSON. I call this hearing to order. Today we will 

consider the nominations of Ms. Lourdes Castro Ramirez, to be an 

Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; and Ms. 

Therese McMillan, to be the Federal Transit Administrator at the 

U.S. Department of Transportation. 

If confirmed, Ms. Castro Ramirez will lead HUD’s office of Public 

and Indian Housing, which helps more than 3 million families find 

affordable housing in cities, suburbs, rural areas, and in Indian 

country. Given the growing number of families struggling to find 

affordable rents, effective use of the resources administered by PIH 

is critical. 

By way of introduction, Ms. Castro Ramirez would bring 20 years 

of experience leading and managing affordable housing and community development programs at the local level to this position. 

She is currently the president and CEO of the San Antonio Housing Authority, where she oversees housing programs serving 26,000 

families, a workforce of 525 employees, and an annual operating 

budget of $186 million. Prior to joining SAHA, Ms. Castro Ramirez 

was the director of the Housing Choice Voucher Program at the 

Housing Authority of the city of Los Angeles. 

And to introduce Ms. McMillan, she has served as Deputy Administrator at FTA since 2009, and she became Acting Administrator in July of this year. Ms. McMillan brings substantial experience to her new role. As Deputy Administrator, she has guided 

2 

FTA staff throughout the agency’s headquarters and 10 regional offices, and she has played a key role in the implementation of MAP– 

21’s reforms such as the new, streamlined process for the New 

Starts and Small Starts program. Prior to joining FTA, she was a 

deputy executive director at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in the San Francisco region where she was responsible for 

strategic financial planning and MTC’s management of Federal, 

State, and regional funding for transit, highways, and other transportation modes. 

Any Senator wishing to submit a question for the record for today’s nominees should do so by the close of business tomorrow, November 14. I would also urge the witnesses to reply to questions 

as soon as possible in order to aid the Committee’s consideration 

of their nomination. 

We will now swear in the nominees. Please rise and raise your 

right hand. Do you swear or affirm that the testimony that you are 

about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the 

truth, so help you God? 

Ms. CASTRO RAMIREZ. I do. 

Ms. MCMILLAN. I do. 

Chairman JOHNSON. Do you agree to appear and testify before 

any duly constituted Committee of the Senate? 

Ms. CASTRO RAMIREZ. I do. 

Ms. MCMILLAN. I do. 

Chairman JOHNSON. Please be seated. 

Each of your written statements will be made part of the record. 

Before you begin your statement, I invite each of you to introduce 

your family and friends in attendance. 

Ms. Castro Ramirez, please proceed. 

Ms. CASTRO RAMIREZ. Good morning, Mr. Chairman. Thank you 

very much. I would like to introduce my husband, Jorge Ramirez, 

who is with us today; my daughter, Natalia. Also, my parents were 

able to join me today: my father, Toribio Castro, in the audience; 

and also my mother, Guadalupe Castro. 

Also, my sister, Dr. Alma Castro, has joined us, and I would also 

like to acknowledge my son, who is hopefully watching this in college. He is in college, a first-year student, so hopefully he is watching this in his dorm. 

And, last, I would like to acknowledge my son, Nicolas, whose 

spirit is always with us. 

Thank you. 

Chairman JOHNSON. Ms. Castro Ramirez, please proceed. 

STATEMENT OF LOURDES MARIA CASTRO RAMIREZ, OF CALIFORNIA, TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT 

Ms. CASTRO RAMIREZ. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. 

Good morning, Mr. Chairman and distinguished Committee 

Members. I am deeply honored and grateful to President Obama 

and Secretary Castro for their confidence in me and for this opportunity to be before you. Thank you for considering my nomination 

to serve as Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing at 

the Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

3 

I would like to also express my appreciation to you, Mr. Chairman, to Ranking Member Crapo, to your colleagues, and staff for 

meeting with me prior to this confirmation hearing. It was extremely helpful, and I gained a deeper understanding of the Committee’s priorities. 

My qualifications for this appointment were shaped by my parents’ struggles and informed by my community engagement and 

professional experience, including nearly 20 years managing and 

leading affordable housing and economic development programs. 

I was born in a small rural town in Jalisco, Mexico. When I was 

4, my family moved to California where my parents sought work, 

stable housing, and a better future for my siblings and me. 

Growing up in the city of Lynwood, my parents instilled in us responsibility, service to others, education, and a strong work ethic. 

In 1996, I began my career as a community planner in Ventura 

County, California, where I promoted resident leadership in rural 

and urban neighborhoods through community building and advocacy. 

Soon I was recruited to join the Housing Authority of the city of 

Los Angeles, where I worked with residents, staff, and local leaders 

to increase affordable housing opportunities. 

In Los Angeles, I led Jobs-Plus, an evidence-based program that 

substantially increased the earnings of public housing residents in 

two of L.A.’s most distressed communities. 

Later, as the director of LA’s Housing Choice Voucher Department, my team and I transformed the Section 8 program from 

‘‘Troubled’’ to ‘‘High Performer’’ in just 3 years, renewing confidence in our stewardship of taxpayer dollars. 

For the past 5 years, I have served as the president and CEO 

of the San Antonio Housing Authority where I have fostered a culture of collaboration and accountability, providing safe and affordable housing to nearly 65,000 children, adults, and seniors. In San 

Antonio, we established partnerships to promote self-sufficiency, 

expand affordable housing, and launch a placed-based initiative. 

During my tenure, we utilized the Moving-to-Work program to foster innovation and advance local priorities. Today more than 1,900 

clients are engaged in self-sufficiency programs, and 40 percent of 

them are currently employed. 

We also increased the affordable housing supply by securing 

$187 million in Federal, State, local, and private sector funds. 

These investments built almost 1,500 new affordable and mixed-income rental housing units. 

In San Antonio, we are creating a neighborhood of opportunity. 

The housing authority competed for and won $30 million in HUD 

Choice Neighborhoods Planning and Implementation grants to invest in the city’s east side. This effort was enhanced with a Byrne 

Criminal Justice grant, a Promise Neighborhoods grant, and a 

Promise Zone designation, making it the only city with all four 

White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiatives in the same 

footprint. These integrated efforts have leveraged public and private funds, triggering wide-scale recovery in the area. 

If confirmed, I will remain dedicated to preserving and expanding the housing needs of poor and working families, elderly and 

disabled individuals, homeless veterans, and other special needs 

4 

populations. I will continue cultivating cross-sector partnerships 

and will stay firmly committed to the belief that, as public servants, we must always show respect and compassion for the families 

that we serve. 

Finally, if confirmed, I will work closely with Secretary Castro 

and the dedicated HUD staff to create opportunities for the nearly 

3.2 million households served by the Office of Public and Indian 

Housing; to strengthen existing partnerships with public housing 

authorities and Native American communities; and to sharpen 

HUD’s focus on outcomes to ensure that our tax dollars are spent 

wisely and prudently. 

Mr. Chairman, thank you and thank you to the Committee for 

considering my nomination to be Assistant Secretary for Public and 

Indian Housing. I am deeply honored to be here, and I look forward 

to your questions. 

Chairman JOHNSON. Thank you. 

Ms. McMillan, do you have any family? 

Ms. MCMILLAN. Yes, I do, Mr. Chairman, and thank you so much 

for the opportunity to introduce them. My husband, Rod McMillan, 

and my daughter, Nadine McMillan, are here today. And I also 

want to acknowledge my other daughter, Madeline McMillan, who 

lives in Los Angeles. 

Thank you. 

Chairman JOHNSON. Please proceed. 

STATEMENT OF THERESE W. McMILLAN, OF CALIFORNIA, TO 

BE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATOR, DEPARTMENT OF 

TRANSPORTATION 

Ms. MCMILLAN. Again, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and to other 

Members of the Committee. I am so pleased to have the opportunity to come before you today as President Obama’s nominee for 

Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration. 

As you know, I have been working and serving the American 

people as part of the FTA since July of 2009 when the Administration appointed me to the position of Deputy Administrator. It has 

been a privilege to serve at a time when the demand for transit is 

on the rise. But I would like to stress that I have been a public 

servant my entire professional career. I have not been enticed to 

work outside of the public sector because I truly believe that merging a community’s vision with responsive and responsible Government can make good—sometimes great—things happen. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you and all Members of the 

Committee to help deliver vital transit services to the public. 

I know firsthand what transit can mean to the user, because I 

am one. Now, I grew up in Los Angeles, at a time when that city 

was the consummate ‘‘car capital.’’ As a child, I rode the bus with 

my grandmother and my auntie who could not drive, and as I grew 

up, I used transit to get to summer school, to much of high school, 

and my freshman year at UCLA. 

Later, when I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, I used the 

region’s extensive public transit systems whenever I could, and I 

appreciated the fact that I had a viable option to driving. 

And in the 5 years I have lived in Washington, DC, I have not 

owned a car, and I realize every day both the advantages and the 

5 

tests that come with that choice. That understanding fuels my passion for this work. 

Across the country, public transit is asked to do many things: to 

address congestion; to help move our economy; to provide real mobility to those whose options are limited by income, disability, or 

age; to be the thread that links individuals to jobs, education, and 

health care. 

But like much of our Nation’s transportation system, our transit infrastructure is fraying at the seams, facing an $86 billion deficit 

in critical reinvestments in existing rails, trains, buses, and stations. 

At FTA, I have worked to address state of good repair, safety, 

emergency relief, strategic expansion, and economic development. 

And across the board, I have been able to build on my past 25-plus 

years of experience working at the local and regional level, where 

I had to actually implement Federal policy and deal firsthand with 

the opportunities and challenges of doing so. 

Bearing on that experience, I have implemented successful reforms within FTA aimed at making our processes and procedures 

more efficient, effective, and transparent to those that need to use 

them or who are otherwise affected by them. 

I have streamlined our audit process, greatly improved our processes for civil rights oversight, and I have worked to ensure FTA’s 

grantmaking system is more secure and accountable than ever before. 

Ultimately, FTA’s customers are your constituents. They reside 

in every State; in big cities with huge networks of rail and buses; 

and in small rural and tribal communities where paratransit vans 

provide critical links to scattered services. 

For me, the most informative and rewarding part of working at 

FTA has been traveling across the country to meet those riders and 

the devoted people who provide the transit services that they rely 

on. Whether they take the commuter train to work because they 

choose to or a late-night bus because they must, those riders have 

a voice that deserves to be heard. 

I will do the best job I can as FTA Administrator to listen and 

to continue to partner with the transit industry and its customers 

through our Federal programs. And I look forward to working with 

all of the Committee to do that, should you grant me the opportunity through confirmation. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I am happy to answer any questions that you have. 

Chairman JOHNSON. Thank you both very much. 

Ms. McMillan, prior to MAP–21, the number of trips in Tribal 

Transit grew from 700,000 in 2007 to more than 2.4 million trips 

in 2012, a more than threefold increase. MAP–21 created a formula 

to provide stable funding to support these essential services which 

provide access to jobs and medical care throughout Indian country. 

How do you think the Tribal Transit Program is performing? And 

what can be done to continue the program’s success? 

Ms. MCMILLAN. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for that 

question, and I would like to first acknowledge as well that the 

funding level for Tribal Transit was doubled in MAP–21. Prior to 

that, as you well know, it had been $15 million for a discretionary 

6 

program and, of course, with your support and the Committee’s 

work, was increased to a combined $30 million—$25 million in the 

formula program and $5 million for the discretionary program. 

For the Federal Transit Administration, we first did extensive 

consultation with the tribal nations to make sure that they understood what the transition from moving from a discretionary program to a formula program would be. As you well noted, the formula program brought with it more predictability, but we needed 

to make sure that the tribes understood what would be the new 

procedures and what funding levels would be available to them. 

As part of that, we did some specific transitional elements in implementing to change to make it as smooth as possible. We conducted a number of workshops, and we will continue to provide 

technical assistance to tribal nations as we work to continue implementing the program. 

Chairman JOHNSON. Ms. Castro Ramirez, last month Secretary 

Castro joined me to see housing and economic development conditions on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for himself. If confirmed, will you engage in meaningful consultation with tribes and 

work to fulfill the Federal Government’s treaty and trust responsibilities to address housing and home ownership needs in Indian 

country? 

Ms. CASTRO RAMIREZ. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much for 

the question, and I, too, would like to acknowledge your leadership 

and the leadership of this Committee in promoting a focus on Native American housing issues. 

I did have an opportunity to also meet with Senator Heitkamp 

and hear from her directly in terms of the priorities, and I also understand that the visit that Secretary Castro made, along with 

yourself, Mr. Chairman, and Senator Heitkamp, to South Dakota 

and North Dakota was a visit that was very important, and there 

was robust discussion and focus. 

If I am confirmed, Mr. Chairman, absolutely you have my commitment to continue to better understand the housing conditions 

and the opportunities that the Office of Public and Indian Housing 

has in working and consulting with tribal nations, both in South 

Dakota and North Dakota, but across this country. 

Chairman JOHNSON. Ms. McMillan, our transit providers in 

South Dakota tell me that the additional formula money in MAP– 

21 has been helpful, but they are having significant trouble finding 

sources of funding for bus replacement, which is a large, one-time 

expense for small transit agencies. 

Would you support the return of a competitive bus program 

which helped both rural and urban transit agencies? 

Ms. MCMILLAN. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate that question very 

much, because if there is one area where we have heard consistently that we need to have perhaps a revisiting of some of the new 

elements in MAP–21, it was with the bus and bus facilities program. I think there was an acknowledgment among all transit operators, be they large or small- and medium-size operators, that 

the predictability with a transition to a formula program was appreciated, but that in many instances the formula shares that they 

received were not commensurate with the needs and made it particularly difficult, as you pointed out, to do one-time large expendiVerDate Nov 24 2008 11:44 Dec 19, 2014 Jkt 046629 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 L:\HEARINGS 2014\11-13 NOMINATIONS\HEARING\111314.TXT JASON
7 

tures, be it for a major bus purchase or a new maintenance facility 

or the like. 

That has prompted us to propose, as I know you know, under the 

Administration’s reauthorization proposal, GROW AMERICA, that 

we do two things: one would be to significantly increase the funding levels for the bus and bus facilities program; the Administration’s proposal is to quadruple it from current levels; but very importantly, to also reintroduce a discretionary element, so to have 

roughly 70 percent of the program continue on a formula basis to 

preserve that predictability but, importantly, to bring back a discretionary element for the circumstances that you described. And 

we look very much forward to working with you as reauthorization 

proceeds going forward to pursue those elements. 

Chairman JOHNSON. Ms. Castro Ramirez, many PHAs in my 

State feel that HUD reporting requirements are burdensome and 

even duplicative in some cases. At the same time, PIH has a responsibility to collect the information necessary for effective oversight. 

If confirmed, will you work to find the right balance in HUD’s 

reporting requirements and information systems so that HUD, 

Congress, and the public can get information we need for oversight 

and accountability while reducing burdens on PHAs? 

Ms. CASTRO RAMIREZ. Mr. Chairman, thank you for the question. 

As you know, I currently serve in the capacity of president and 

CEO of the San Antonio Housing Authority, and the housing authority has a Moving-to-Work designation, and that designation 

has enabled the housing authority to implement a number of innovative programs to meet local needs, but also to carry out administrative reforms to streamline programs. 

If I am confirmed, Mr. Chairman, you have my commitment to 

work closely with the Office of Public and Indian Housing and to 

also work closely with the various housing partners to identify and 

implement streamlining both, you know, through administrative, 

regulatory reforms but also to identify, you know, statutory options 

that will enable housing partners to be able to deliver programs to 

the nearly 3.2 million households in an efficient and effective manner. 

Chairman JOHNSON. This is a question for the panel. Can each 

of you tell me what your top priorities would be, should you be confirmed? Ms. Castro Ramirez first. 

Ms. CASTRO RAMIREZ. Yes, Mr. Chairman. If I am confirmed, I 

hope to be able to bring my extensive experience in affordable 

housing and economic development programs. I have seen firsthand 

that families, individuals, and neighborhoods fare better when 

there is an affordable housing platform. 

I also have worked extensively with a number of partners to link 

families and households to some of the critical services that are 

necessary to ensure stability and ensure success, whether that be 

establishing partnerships with local school districts or working 

with the local workforce development agencies to promote job opportunities. If I am confirmed, my priorities will be first and foremost to work closely with the Secretary to advance his vision of 

creating the Department of HUD a Department of Opportunity. 

And the areas of focus would be, one, to strengthen the core affordVerDate Nov 24 2008 11:44 Dec 19, 2014 Jkt 046629 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 L:\HEARINGS 2014\11-13 NOMINATIONS\HEARING\111314.TXT JASON
8 

able housing and housing assistance programs; second, to expand 

the innovative programs that are working and to expand partnerships to improve the quality of life for the families that are served 

through the Office of Public and Indian Housing; and, last, to identify administrative reforms and streamline program operations to 

ensure the delivery of housing programs in an efficient and effective manner. 

Chairman JOHNSON. Ms. McMillan, what are your priorities? 

Ms. MCMILLAN. Well, Mr. Chairman, let me start first by saying 

that in the experience that I had even prior to coming to the Federal Transit Administration, I worked a lot with the multiple transit agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area, and a major concern 

at that time was preserving the existing infrastructure of the billions of dollars that have been already invested in public transport. 

They need to be reliable. They need to be effective. They need to 

be safe. 

As an everyday user now, I know the frustration when it is late 

or when the bus breaks down. So it is an important part of people’s 

lives, and keeping our current investments in a state of good repair 

and safe is critical. 

I think particularly with safety, I am committed to advancing 

FTA’s new safety authority that this Committee granted us as part 

of MAP–21. It is absolutely critical. Public transit is already a very 

safe mode, but I have to say there is no cap on vigilance when it 

comes to keeping the American public safe, and I am committed to 

a large focus on implementing our new authority. 

Second, I think it’s important—and we have a great opportunity—to strategically expand public transportation for those who 

want to have it. My daughter in Los Angeles was really looking for 

an apartment in L.A., and one of the top things that was important 

to her was access, walkable access, to the metro station in Los Angeles, to the metro system there. And I think it is emblematic of 

what this younger generation is looking for. They really do want 

to have options to how they get around. And I believe that public 

transport and the work that the Federal Transit Administration 

can do to partner with State and local governments in bringing 

these options to communities is very, very exciting. 

Third, it is extremely important that we be able to provide public 

transportation to anyone who needs or wants to use it. It cannot 

be stressed enough, in my view, that access to employment and 

education and services has to be at the forefront of our objectives 

of why we are providing transportation, and in this case public 

transit specifically. 

And I am also personally very interested in advancing workforce 

development as part of that combination of benefits that can come 

with public transport. This industry needs a well-trained workforce 

in a number of new areas, particularly with new technologies that 

are coming online in the field. We need workforce contributions in 

construction, in operations and maintenance, and for communities 

where these existing public transportation services exist or where 

new projects are coming online, to the extent that we can develop 

a career pathway to involve those communities in the delivery of 

the service, I think there are exciting opportunities to do that. And 

I am looking forward to working on that area as well. 

9 

Chairman JOHNSON. Ms. McMillan, the transit providers in 

South Dakota work with the State’s Medicaid program and VA facilities to deliver coordinated service. How will you work to improve 

coordination with other Federal programs that fund local transportation service, particularly nonemergency medical transportation 

under Medicaid? 

Ms. MCMILLAN. Mr. Chairman, I very much appreciate that 

question because this is an area where we have made some important gains, but also there are many opportunities, I think, for continued work. 

First of all, I think we need to acknowledge that all major urbanized areas as well as many of the smaller rural communities have 

effective public transportation human services plans and relationships with multiple other Federal, State, and local agencies for the 

delivery of public transportation services. 

We have seen an increased attention and funding for mobility 

management, which I think is an extremely important concept 

whereby the focus is on the customer’s needs to get from Point A 

to Point B, and we have programs and personnel who can match 

that travel requirement with whatever service is available and 

make the most sense, be it fixed-route service or paratransit service or specialized services delivered by other agencies. 

We have had some success in coordinating and funding these 

joint services. I point to the Veterans Transportation and Community Living Initiative that the Federal Transit Administration had 

advanced and funded in fiscal years 2011 and 2012, where we saw 

very valuable coordination between the DOT, the Department of 

Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Labor in pulling together 

resources to establish one-call, one-click centers to coordinate services for veterans and their families, again, matching public transportation services or services provided by the VA in those circumstances. 

But I believe there are many, many more opportunities to extend 

that concept, and you pointed to a key one, which is transport services provided by HHS and funded with Medicaid. I think there is 

a tremendous opportunity and need to more effectively manage our 

Federal resources in that circumstance, and I would look forward 

to working with the Committee on getting some advances in that 

done if I were confirmed. 

Chairman JOHNSON. Ms. Castro Ramirez, in your testimony you 

mentioned working with other local agencies and organizations to 

create housing and economic development opportunities in San Antonio. 

If confirmed, will you work with other departments within HUD 

and across the Federal Government to help communities and tribes 

across the country create similar opportunities? 

Ms. CASTRO RAMIREZ. Mr. Chairman, thank you again for this 

question. Absolutely, if confirmed, I will draw on my extensive experience creating partnerships at the local level. I would like to 

share with you the success that we are enjoying in San Antonio as 

it relates to creating partnerships across agencies, and I will share 

with you that—I heard this quote once, and it really resonated 

with me as it relates to why it is important to partner. Someone 

said that ‘‘many cities or many communities are rich in programs 

10 

but poor in systems,’’ and so for me, this work of partnerships and 

working across agencies is—the focus is to strengthen the communication and the interaction of these major institutions and systems that ultimately serve the same individual family or neighborhood. And to that end, in San Antonio, through the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, we have established a very strong collaboration 

with the local school district, San Antonio Independent School District, with our local United Way, who is leading the Promise Neighborhoods Initiative. We also have worked very closely with local 

nonprofits that are on the ground, that are promoting economic development, including business retention and creating new business 

opportunities. And equally important, we are working very closely 

with the city of San Antonio and the utility companies to improve 

the infrastructure of the neighborhood that is the focus of the 

Choice Initiative. 

That level of collaboration and coordination I think is what is 

necessary to be able to lead transformation and to be able to move 

from a community that has seen disinvestment for many years to 

a community that is being transformed into a vibrant and thriving 

community. 

If I am confirmed, Mr. Chairman, I am fully committed to continuing to work across agencies to promote the level of collaboration that is taking place at the local level and to bring that to the 

Federal level. 

Chairman JOHNSON. Ms. McMillan, Congress has extended 

MAP–21 only to the end of next May, and both accounts of the 

Highway Trust Fund face a shortfall again next year. 

Ms. McMillan, in your experience at FTA and your prior experience at MTC, how does this uncertainty in Federal funding hurt 

local efforts to effectively manage and improve transit infrastructure and service? 

Ms. MCMILLAN. Mr. Chairman, you are acknowledging the most 

immediate and critical challenge that we are facing at the Department of Transportation right now, and the need to develop a 

multiyear, robust transportation surface funding program is absolutely critical. And I am working very closely with Secretary Foxx 

in taking that message as far and loudly as we can. And the support of you and the Committee in dealing with this upcoming cliff 

again is just top priority for us. In terms of the impacts of what 

we have heard and what I have experienced in my own realm is 

there are two major areas I would point out where this uncertainty 

hurts, particularly for smaller transit agencies that receive operating funding, and a major part of their operating funding through 

the Federal program. The lack of predictability hits home directly 

in terms of their ability to adequately and satisfactorily put service 

out on the road to meet the needs of their users. Many of our larger 

systems that may have substantial State or local funds to complement the Federal dollars have a little bit more leeway there. 

But even in those circumstances, the lack of being able to predict 

better what your budgets are going to be year to year really impedes effective planning and service delivery. 

In terms of major Federal contracts for capital projects, be they 

reinvestment in the existing infrastructure or new projects, again, 

the lack of stability and predictability of the critical role of Federal 

11 

dollars in delivering that hampers any major commitments for new 

projects and, importantly, I think, also hampers local elected officials and others in their visions of what they want to do for their 

communities, because they cannot count on one of the important 

partners that are needed to deliver those visions being at the table. 

So that is the atmosphere within which we need to work and I 

think underscores all the more why we need to make fixing this 

problem paramount. And I certainly look forward to working with 

the Committee in doing just that. 

Chairman JOHNSON. Ms. Castro Ramirez, PIH oversees $26 billion in housing assistance programs delivered through a network of 

State, local, and tribal agencies. How has your background prepared you to oversee this large organization and ensure accountability for taxpayers and families these programs are designed to 

assist? 

Ms. CASTRO RAMIREZ. Mr. Chairman, you are correct, the Office 

of Public and Indian Housing is very broad and covers—very large 

and covers many families through some critical housing programs. 

With regard to my background, as I had an opportunity to share 

earlier, my managerial and leadership skills both in the affordable 

housing industry and also directly in working with public housing 

authorities has been very crucial in shaping my approach and style 

of management and oversight. When I was the director of the Section 8 program in L.A.—the Section 8 program is the second largest 

Section 8 program across the country. It serves well over 50,000 

families, and at that time the annual budget was just over $400 

million. So the responsibility connected to managing well over 400 

staff members and being responsible for providing appropriate subsidy to support 50,000 families who were on the program was—I 

took that responsibility very seriously. 

When I joined the Section 8 program, as I mentioned, the Section 

8 program was troubled. There were a number of compliance concerns. There were a number of concerns with regard to the leasing 

of vouchers. My approach to addressing the problem was to work 

closely with the Section 8 staff and the team, to work also closely 

with the Office of the Inspector General, who at the time was involved in L.A., and to develop a corrective action plan that would 

enable the Department to correct the number of items and deficiencies, but also to implement new internal controls to ensure that 

this program would not get itself into trouble again. So I think that 

experience of working very closely with a program and staff members and the Office of the Inspector General and the leadership of 

the agency is an example of the type of managerial and leadership 

skills that I would bring. 

Currently in my capacity as CEO of the San Antonio Housing 

Authority, I am responsible for a budget of just about $187 million 

annually with total assets of over $500 million. For the past 4 

years, the external financial audits have been unqualified opinions, 

no material weaknesses. And, again, I believe that that really has 

largely been a function of the reforms that the San Antonio Housing Authority Board and myself have implemented to ensure that 

we are guarding the taxpayers’ trust in our ability to be able to 

manage and deliver these critical programs. 

12 

Chairman JOHNSON. Ms. Castro Ramirez, in your testimony you 

mentioned several education-related initiatives that you are undertaking in San Antonio, such as creating libraries in local family 

housing developments. Can you talk about the importance of safe, 

stable housing for improving children’s lives and why chose to undertake these education-related initiatives in San Antonio? 

Ms. CASTRO RAMIREZ. I very much appreciate this question, Mr. 

Chairman. As the first in my family to graduate from high school 

and go on to college, I have seen firsthand the power of education 

and how it creates opportunities. Specifically in San Antonio, within our public housing program and Section 8, 50 percent of the individuals that are served by the housing authority are children 

under the age of 17. And so for us, understanding that 50 percent 

of the population are children and youth, education had to become 

a priority. Also, importantly, our mayor at the time, Mayor Castro, 

launched a citywide initiative focused on promoting education and 

creating greater access, both through the Pre-K 4 SA program, 

which provided access to toddlers and children to attend a pre-K 

program, but also by establishing resources such as the Cafe College, to create access for youth that were looking to go on to higher 

education. So the focus on education, understanding who we are 

serving, has been really the driving force, and we have had much 

success establishing partnerships with both school districts and 

also education providers in the area to ensure that we are providing educational resources at the public housing properties. As 

an example, we implemented a free Wi-Fi program at 40 public 

housing properties to ensure that there was adequate access. We 

also have partnered with a local community college and several 

businesses to create libraries at some of our family public housing 

properties. And, last, for the last 2 years, we have hosted an education summit that brings together children and their parents and 

providers to recognize the achievements that children and youth 

are making within the realm of education. This year, we had 166 

youth who made a pledge to go to college, and we also awarded 40 

college scholarships in the amount of about $1,500 to 40 youths 

that are going on to college or continuing their college education. 

Again, I think education is very important, and I look forward to 

exploring opportunities, if I am confirmed, opportunities within the 

Office of Public and Indian Housing to continue to strengthen the 

relationship between HUD and the Department of Education. 

Chairman JOHNSON. I thank the nominees for your testimony 

and for your willingness to serve our Nation. I will remind Members to submit questions for the record by the close of business tomorrow, Friday, November 14. Nominees, please submit your answers to the written questions as soon as possible so that we can 

move your nominations forward in a timely manner. This hearing 

is adjourned. 

Ms. CASTRO RAMIREZ. Thank you. 

Ms. MCMILLAN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

[Whereupon, at 11:51 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.] 

[Prepared statements, biographical sketches of nominees, responses to written questions, and additional material supplied for 

the record follow:] 

13 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF SENATOR MIKE CRAPO 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Today the Committee is considering two important 

nominations for two different organizations: Acting Administrator Therese W. McMillan, to be Federal Transit Administrator (FTA) for the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, and Ms. Lourdes Maria Castro Ramirez, to be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Since the Chairman has been 

very thorough in his explanation of our nominees, I’ll be brief. 

Ms. McMillan brings 30 years of transportation experience to the role of Federal 

Transit Administrator, including 5 years at the agency prior to this nomination. If 

confirmed as FTA Administrator, Ms. McMillan will lead a staff of more than 500 

employees in Washington, DC, oversee 10 regional offices and manage an annual 

budget of approximately $10 billion. 

In October 2013, as part of its implementation of MAP–21, the FTA released an 

Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the areas of Safety and Transit Asset 

Management. This Notice is of great interest to myself and several other Members 

of this Committee who have all raised concerns with the potential outcome being 

overly prescriptive. At the March 2014 Transit Hearing, we heard from private sector witnesses who also shared our concern that, if done improperly, some small systems could be subject to overly burdensome regulations that are inappropriate to 

their size. Today, I would like to hear how Ms. McMillan would proceed with the 

implementation of MAP–21 while balancing the needs of all systems, both large and 

small. 

Our other nominee today is Ms. Castro Ramirez. Currently, Ms. Castro Ramirez 

serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer for the San Antonio Housing 

Authority. She brings approximately 15 years working with Housing Authorities in 

California and Texas. If confirmed, Ms. Castro Ramirez will oversee the Nation’s 

public housing and rental assistance programs that assist approximately 3.2 million 

low-income families across the U.S. Also, she would be responsible for the Department’s Native American and Native Hawaiian programs, which serve 562 federally 

recognized tribes. While Ms. Castro Ramirez has public housing experience from 

previous positions, Indian Housing is a big part of this job and incredibly important 

in Idaho, so I appreciate her willingness to learn the latter in her new capacity as 

well. 

Although it is not the topic of today’s hearing, I must take this opportunity to express frustration with how HUD has handled a situation that is affecting many constituents in Idaho. Last month, HUD released guidelines related to Recreational Vehicles that they termed a ‘‘reiteration.’’ Because HUD termed it a reiteration, these 

guidelines went through without the benefit of any public comment or input. Consequently, the new guidelines for what defines a recreational vehicle could have serious negative implications for RV owners, dealers, and manufactures. 

The lack of due process and public input also comes at an economic cost to many 

small business men and women who make their livings owning and operating campgrounds. It is now incumbent upon HUD to fix this situation and mitigate the real 

consequences that have been created. I look forward to hearing from each of our 

nominees on these important issues and more, and working with Chairman Johnson 

regarding these nominations. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF SENATOR ROBERT MENENDEZ 

I’d like to thank our nominees for their willingness to serve in these important 

positions. The work of both the Office of Public and Indian Housing and the Federal 

Transit Administration has significant impact on the everyday lives of many New 

Jerseyans, and having strong leadership for these positions is critical. 

The position of Federal Transit Administrator is particularly important to the future of our Nation’s mobility and economic development. As our population ages, 

providing sources of transportation that go beyond the car will be vital to ensuring 

that our seniors remain connected, active members of their communities. 

At the same time, younger generations are driving less, and showing a strong 

preference for living car-free in transit-oriented neighborhoods. The old notion that 

we can solve our transportation problems solely by building bigger roadways is out 

of date, and inadequate to meet the needs of today. 

Having strong transit infrastructure is especially critical in New Jersey. Each 

year, the broader New Jersey/New York/Connecticut metropolitan region sees more 

than 4 billion transit trips—and without these trips, our region’s transportation system would be brought to a standstill. 

14 

In the coming years, we face significant challenges in maintaining these networks, 

including building new, flood-resistant tunnels under the Hudson River and replacing the 104-year-old Portal Bridge. To deal with challenges like these, we must be 

willing to increase our investment in transit infrastructure. 

We must resist a status quo that has led us to transit systems that are overcrowded, fraught with delays and overburdened by an $86 billion repair backlog 

simply to keep them from falling apart. 

These problems are too important to leave unaddressed. I look forward to hearing 

Ms. McMillan’s thoughts on how we can work together to meet these challenges. 

I also look forward to hearing from Ms. Castro Ramirez, who has been nominated 

to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Public and 

Indian Housing. 

This office oversees a number of critical areas, including tenant-based rental assistance, public housing, and the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative for revitalizing 

struggling communities. These programs are a lifeline for some of the most vulnerable members of our communities, and provide the housing stability necessary for 

children to succeed in school, adults to find and keep jobs, and seniors and persons 

with disabilities to connect with supportive services. As a former mayor, I know how 

vital Federal resources are in this area to local communities. 

I look forward to hearing more from both of our witnesses today. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF LOURDES MARIA CASTRO RAMIREZ 

TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING, DEPARTMENT OF

HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

NOVEMBER 13, 2014 

Chairman Johnson, Ranking Member Crapo, and distinguished Members of the 

Committee. I am deeply honored and grateful to President Obama and Secretary 

Castro for their confidence in me and for this opportunity to be before you as you 

consider my nomination to serve as Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

I would like to acknowledge my beloved husband Jorge Ramirez, and my children 

Jorge, Natalia, and Nicolas—who’s brave and tender spirit is always with us. I also 

thank my hardworking parents, Guadalupe and Toribio Castro, my brothers and sisters, and many friends for their love and support. 

My qualifications for this appointment were shaped by my parents’ struggles and 

informed by my education, my community engagement, and my professional experience, including nearly 20 years leading and managing affordable housing and innovative economic development programs. 

I was born in a small rural town in Jalisco, Mexico. When I was four, my family 

relocated to California where my parents sought work, stable housing and a better 

future for me and my siblings. My parents instilled in us responsibility, service to 

others, education, and a strong work ethic. These values and their daily sacrifices 

had a profound, formative impact on me, propelling me to work hard, be a role 

model for my eight younger siblings and become the first in my extended family to 

attend college and receive both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. 

As a student at UCLA, I maintained a strong connection to my hometown of 

Lynwood California, and actively served on a number of committees and student 

groups that were focused on improving conditions of low-income neighborhoods. 

In 1996, I began my career in community development when I joined Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) in Ventura County, California. As a Community Planner, I organized and promoted resident leadership initiatives in multiple low-income rural and urban neighborhoods through community building and 

advocacy. 

Soon, I was recruited to join the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles 

(HACLA), where for 10 years I worked with residents, dedicated staff and local 

stakeholders to increase affordable housing opportunities and investments in people. 

During my years with HACLA, I am most proud of my leadership of LA Jobs-Plus, 

a nationally recognized program that substantially increased the earnings of public 

housing residents in two of L.A.’s most blighted communities: Watts and East Los 

Angeles. 

From 2006–2009, I also served as director of HACLA’s Housing Choice Voucher 

Program, the Nation’s second largest Section 8 program. During my tenure, the Section 8 Program went from ‘‘Troubled’’ to ‘‘High Performer’’ status in less than 3 

years, as my team responsibly managed a budget of approximately $420 million and 

assisted more than 50,000 families. 

15 

Since April 2009, I have had the privilege of leading the San Antonio Housing Authority, a Moving-to-Work Agency. As SAHA’s President and CEO, I have fostered 

a culture of collaboration and accountability that has resulted in safe and affordable 

housing for nearly 65,000 children, adults, and seniors. Our Agency established extensive partnerships to significantly improve operational performance, expand housing availability through the creation of new housing units, and launch a comprehensive and integrated placed-based neighborhood initiative focused on building strong 

families and communities. The tangible results of these efforts have benefited San 

Antonio in three critical ways. 

First, SAHA secured almost $187 million in new Federal, State, local, and private 

investments to build 424 new affordable housing units and redevelop three public 

housing communities creating 1,043 new mixed-income housing units. Today, San 

Antonio’s stock of affordable housing is larger than ever. 

Second, SAHA competed for and was awarded $30 million in HUD Choice Neighborhood Planning and Implementation Grants to redevelop the Wheatley Courts 

community on San Antonio’s Eastside. The impact of SAHA’s Choice Neighborhood 

Initiative was enhanced with a Byrne Criminal Justice Grant to develop communityoriented strategies for reducing criminal activity in the same neighborhood. SAHA’s 

receipt of Choice and Byrne grants, along with a Promise Neighborhood Grant 

awarded to the local United Way, made San Antonio the only community in the Nation to be awarded all three White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative 

grants. These integrated activities have leveraged significant public and private investments, triggering wide-scale recovery in a long-neglected community. 

Third, SAHA has advanced the goals of the Federal Moving-to-Work program and 

demonstrated a consistent commitment to community-wide economic development. 

We have built a free Wi-Fi platform at 40 public housing properties, providing easy 

access to workforce development resources for the adults who live there. We have 

added children’s libraries at 10 family housing sites, offering early learning and educational enrichment resources, and in 2013 SAHA coordinated the first Education 

Summit, at which hundreds of youth received honors ranging from perfect attendance awards to college scholarships. And arguably of greatest impact: there are 

more than 1,900 ‘‘actively engaged’’ clients in SAHA’s Moving-to-Work initiatives, 40 

percent of whom are currently employed. 

These initiatives were all accomplished while achieving five consecutive fiscal 

years of clean audits, free of financial findings and material weaknesses. 

If confirmed, I will bring each of these experiences and lessons learned to the Office of Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing. I will remain dedicated 

to strengthening communities while preserving and developing quality affordable 

housing that meets the needs of poor and working families, elderly and disabled individuals, homeless veterans, and other special needs populations. I will continue 

cultivating partnerships with public and private stakeholders, a defining component 

in community transformation since no one agency can do it alone. In addition, I will 

remain firmly committed to the belief that as public servants, we must always show 

respect and compassion for the families that need our assistance. 

And finally, if confirmed, I will work with Secretary Castro and the dedicated 

HUD staff to: (1) create opportunities for the nearly 3.2 million households served 

by the Office of Public and Indian Housing; (2) strengthen existing partnerships 

with the 4,000 public housing authorities and 566 Native American communities 

across America; and, (3) sharpen HUD’s focus on outcomes, not only inputs, to ensure that tax dollars are spent wisely and prudently. 

Again, thank you for considering my nomination to be Assistant Secretary for 

Public and Indian Housing. It is an honor to be here and I look forward to your 

questions. 

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PREPARED STATEMENT OF THERESE W. McMILLAN 

TO BE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATOR, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

NOVEMBER 13, 2014 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Crapo, and Members of the Committee for the opportunity to come before you today as President Obama’s Nominee 

for Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration. 

Before I begin my formal remarks, I would like to acknowledge my husband, Rod 

McMillan and my daughter Nadine McMillan who are here today, as well as my 

daughter Madeline McMillan, who lives in Los Angeles. 

Their support has been essential to my career, and I am thankful to them every 

day! 

As you know I have been serving the American people as part of the FTA since 

July 2009 when the Administration appointed me to the position of Deputy Administrator. 

It’s been a privilege to serve at a time when the demand for transit is on the rise. 

But I want to stress that I have been a public servant my entire professional career. I haven’t been enticed to work outside of the public sector, because I truly believe that merging a community’s vision with responsive, responsible Government 

can make good (sometimes great!) things happen. 

If confirmed, I look forward to working with YOU and all Members of this Committee to help deliver vital transit services to the public. 

I know first-hand what transit can mean to the user—because I am one. 

I grew up in Los Angeles, at a time when that city was the consummate ‘‘car capital.’’ 

As a child, I rode the bus with my grandmother and auntie who couldn’t drive, 

and as I grew up, I used transit to get to summer school, much of high school, and 

my freshman year at UCLA. 

When I moved to the S.F. Bay Area, I used the region’s extensive public transit 

systems whenever I could—and I appreciated the fact that I had a viable option to 

driving. In the 5 years I have lived in Washington, DC, I have not owned a car— 

and I realize every day both the advantages and tests that come with that choice. 

That understanding fuels my passion for this work. 

Across the country, Public Transit is asked to do many things 

• to address congestion; 

• to help move our economy; 

• to provide real mobility to those whose options are limited by income, disability, 

or age; 

• to be the thread that links individuals to jobs, education, and health care. 

But like much of our Nation’s transportation system, our transit infrastructure is 

fraying at the seams—facing an $86 billion deficit in critical reinvestments in existing rails, trains, buses, and stations. 

At FTA, I have worked to address State of Good Repair, Safety, Emergency Relief, 

Strategic expansion and economic development. 

Across the board, I have been able to build on my past 25+ years of experience 

working at the local and regional level, where I had to actually implement Federal 

policy—and deal first-hand with the opportunities and challenges in doing so. 

Bearing on that experience, I have implemented successful reforms within FTA 

aimed at making our processes and procedures more efficient, effective, and transparent to those that need to use them—or are otherwise affected by them. 

I have streamlined our audit process, greatly improved our processes for Civil 

Rights oversight, and I have worked to ensure FTA’s grant making system is more 

secure and accountable than ever. 

Ultimately, FTA’s customers are your constituents—they reside in every State, in 

big cities with huge networks of rail and buses; and in small rural and tribal communities where paratransit vans provide critical links to scattered services. 

For me, the most informative and rewarding part of working at FTA has been 

traveling across the country to meet those riders and to talk to the devoted people 

who provide the transit services they rely on. Whether they take the commuter 

train to work because they choose to, or take a late night bus because they must, 

those riders have a voice that deserves to be heard. 

I will do the best job I can as FTA Administrator to listen—and to continue to 

partner with the transit industry and its customers through our Federal programs. 

And I look forward to working with all of you to do that, should you grant me that 

opportunity through confirmation. 

Thank you Mr. Chairman, and Members of the Committee, and I am happy to 

answer any questions. 

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RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS OF SENATOR CRAPO 

FROM LOURDES MARIA CASTRO RAMIREZ 

Q.1. As President and CEO of the San Antonio Housing Authority—a Moving-to-Work (MTW) designated agency—you know firsthand the incredible benefits the MTW program has provided your 

residents. In fact, in a recent report, you note that Moving-to-Work 

allows the San Antonio Housing Authority to ‘‘streamline and reduce Federal expenditures while systematically improving its housing stock, providing supportive services, and increasing housing 

choices for low-income families in San Antonio.’’ I too have been a 

strong proponent of this program, urging that it be expanded to 

areas like my home State of Idaho. 

If confirmed, can we depend upon you to advocate that the Administration request a significant expansion of the MTW program, 

as well as to urge for the extensions of existing MTW contracts? 

A.1. Under my leadership, and in partnership with local stakeholders, the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) has developed 

a thoughtful and effective Moving-to-Work (MTW) program that is 

achieving greater cost effectiveness in Federal expenditures; providing incentives that promote self-sufficiency; and increasing 

housing choices for low-income families in San Antonio. 

SAHA has implemented several cost efficiency measures that not 

only streamline fundamental business processes but also provide 

better customer service to our residents. For example, the implementation of biennial reexaminations for elderly and disabled participant households resulted in a 30 percent reduction in the operational costs related to recertifications. 

Funding and programming for resident development and family 

self-sufficiency initiatives continues to grow and attain strong people outcomes. Today, there are more than 1,900 adults actively engaged in self-sufficiency activities, and 40 percent of them are employed. 

Investments in activities geared toward promoting resident development through education have included providing free Wi-Fi 

access at 40 public housing properties; establishing children’s libraries at 12 family housing sites; and coordinating the Education 

Summit, where we recognized children and youth for academic 

achievement and awarded college scholarships. 

Finally, SAHA adopted an Affordable Housing Preservation and 

Expansion Policy that established the principles, goals, priorities, 

and strategies to preserve and expand the supply of affordable 

housing. In the last 5 years, SAHA expanded the supply of affordable housing by securing $187 million in financing, through public– 

private partnerships, to build almost 1,500 new rental housing 

units. 

If confirmed, I look forward to engaging with you, other Members 

of the Senate Banking Committee and housing partners to explore 

the best path forward with respect to existing MTW agencies and 

those PHAs seeking to become MTW agencies. I also look forward 

to increasing awareness of the positive impact that the MTW program is making in delivering critical housing resources, promoting 

self-sufficiency, reducing administrative costs, and implementing 

appropriate monitoring and evaluation protocols. 

31 

RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS OF SENATOR 

MENENDEZ FROM LOURDES MARIA CASTRO RAMIREZ 

Q.1. As you know, HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing oversees critical initiatives for helping some of the most vulnerable 

members of our communities find affordable housing—in many 

cases providing the housing stability children need to succeed in 

school and parents need to find and keep a job, and that allows 

seniors and persons with disabilities to connect with supportive 

services. In particular, I know you have experience with the Housing Choice Voucher program, among others, in both San Antonio 

and Los Angeles. 

Can you please discuss the importance of Housing Choice Vouchers, your experience managing the program at the local level, and 

your priorities for it if you are confirmed? 

A.1. The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program is a critically important housing assistance program serving approximately 2.2 million extremely low and very-low income families, and enabling 

households to rent in the community of their choice. I have had extensive experience managing and leading the HCV program at the 

local level, both in Los Angeles and San Antonio. If confirmed, I 

look forward to relying on my extensive managerial and leaderships skills to strengthen the HCV Program. 

From 2006–2009, I served as director of LA’s Housing Choice 

Voucher Program, the Nation’s second largest Section 8 program. 

During my tenure, the Section 8 Program went from ‘‘Troubled’’ to 

‘‘High Performer’’ status in less than 3 years, yielding a 37 percent 

performance increase on HUD’s scorecard, from 59 percent to 96 

percent. In my capacity as Director, I was responsible for managing 

a budget of approximately $400 million in Federal rental subsidies 

and overseeing a 400-member staff assisting more than 50,000 

families. 

To improve service delivery and efficiency, I worked with my 

management team and with the Agency’s IT Department to complete a major modernization and seamless software system migration of the Section 8 Program. Additionally, I worked closely with 

the Office of the Inspector General to implement corrective actions 

to improve program integrity and internal controls. 

In my experience, the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program 

has also been instrumental in combating homelessness. Specifically, Los Angeles’ large homeless population, combined with its 

relatively limited stock of affordable housing, made the availability 

of subsidized housing crucial to addressing the city’s homelessness 

crisis. To that end, we increased the number of Section 8 vouchers 

available to the Homeless Program, thereby significantly increasing 

the existing resources to permanently end homelessness for these 

households. 

In San Antonio, the Housing Choice Voucher Program has maintained its High Performer status for four consecutive years, from 

2010 to 2014. 

Again, if confirmed, I am committed to working with you, other 

Members of the Senate Banking Committee, and public housing authorities responsible for administering the HCV Program to 

strengthen this core housing subsidy program, to identify reguVerDate Nov 24 2008 11:44 Dec 19, 2014 Jkt 046629 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 L:\HEARINGS 2014\11-13 NOMINATIONS\HEARING\111314.TXT JASON
32 

latory and statutory relief provisions, and to streamline operations 

to deliver housing programs in an efficient and effective manner. 

Q.2. If confirmed, you would have responsibility for overseeing the 

Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, which provides critical support for 

revitalizing struggling communities with distressed housing. As I’m 

sure you know from your experience in San Antonio, the program 

supports local leadership and targets comprehensive efforts that 

focus on access to good schools, jobs, transportation, housing, and 

commercial development. Nationally, the program has been tremendously successful in leveraging private capital—even during 

the challenging economic years of 2010 through 2012, Choice 

Neighborhoods grants generated outside investment at a ratio of 

more than 8-to-1. 

Can you discuss the importance of these funds and programs like 

Choice Neighborhoods to local communities? 

A.2. In San Antonio, the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI) has 

been catalytic to the revitalization of the Eastside, providing critical investment in neighborhood assets, including vacant property, 

housing, services and schools, while also advancing self-sufficiency, 

education, and employment services. 

San Antonio’s Eastside is the only area in the United States to 

receive four separate awards under the White House Neighborhood 

Revitalization Initiative (NRI): a HUD Choice Neighborhood grant, 

a Department of Education Promise Neighborhood grant, a Department of Justice Byrne grant, and a Promise Zone designation. 

For its CNI ‘‘planning’’ and ‘‘implementation’’ grants, the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) partnered with the City of San 

Antonio, United Way, San Antonio Independent School District, St. 

Philip’s College, Trinity University, San Antonio for Growth on the 

eastside, VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority, local leaders, area 

businesses, community stakeholders, and area residents, to create 

and implement the Choice Transformation Plan. The plan was developed over a 20-month period, from April 2011 through December 

2012, in more than 30 community meetings and planning sessions. 

The plan serves as the foundation for multiple initiatives to transform the distressed Wheatley Courts public housing development 

and surrounding neighborhood into a new master-planned, safe, 

sustainable, energy-efficient, mixed-income community, with high 

quality schools, health care, transportation and access to jobs. 

The Wheatley Courts Choice Neighborhoods plan is focused on 

three core goals: 

1. Housing: Replace distressed public housing with high-quality, 

mixed-income housing that is well-managed and responsive to 

the needs of the surrounding neighborhood. Specifically, the 

Housing plan is to redevelop Wheatley Courts into a 417-unit 

energy efficient, mixed-income community, and to expand the 

supply of quality housing with 208 new housing units at The 

Park at Sutton Oaks, another SAHA property. 

2. People: The People outcomes focus on families’ health, education, safety, and employment, through efforts to encourage 

and support self-sufficiency and job readiness, and to facilitate 

access to early childhood and adult education. The educational 

aspect of the People component is in close partnership with 

33 

the Promise Neighborhood Initiative, which is overseen by the 

United Way. 

3. Neighborhood: The Neighborhood component will transform 

the neighborhood of poverty into a safe, pedestrian-oriented 

neighborhood, with home ownership opportunities; develop a 

plan to grow business and retail opportunities; and improve 

access to health and wellness activities and resources. Abatement of dilapidated structures, rehabilitation of owner-occupied units, and development of infill housing will also provide 

opportunity for investment that will create a significant impact. 

Q.3. What are your priorities for community revitalization programs like Choice Neighborhoods if you are confirmed? 

A.3. If confirmed, my priorities for community revitalization programs would include continual support for place-based strategies 

including the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative and the Jobs Plus 

Program. 

A hallmark of my tenure in San Antonio has been preserving and 

expanding affordable housing opportunities, and developing strong 

partnerships that link families to education, jobs, and supportive 

services. As described above, for the past 3 years, the San Antonio 

Housing Authority has been leading a place-based revitalization effort that includes unprecedented local collaboration with significant 

Federal investments to improve housing, education, and safety, 

through the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, the Department of 

Education’s Promise Neighborhoods Initiative, and the Department 

of Justice’s Byrne grants. 

I began my work with the Los Angeles Housing Authority leading the LA Jobs Plus demonstration program. Jobs Plus is an innovative, placed-based employment and community building program 

designed to increase the level of employment, education, and earnings among public housing residents. Because of its success, several 

cities from across the country, including New York and San Antonio, have adopted and implemented this program. Through funding 

from the Social Innovation Fund and the New York Center for Economic Opportunity, San Antonio has been implementing Jobs Plus 

with great success, with nearly 900 adults currently involved. 

If confirmed, I will continue to work across agencies to coordinate 

with other Federal partners to align housing, education, economic 

development (jobs), and transit policy to support neighborhood revitalization efforts. 

Q.4. I’m sure you are well aware from your experience in San Antonio of the serious capital funding needs currently facing our Nation’s public housing authorities—a shortfall of $26 billion for the 

maintenance and preservation of affordable housing. Meanwhile, 

the share of families nationwide with severe housing cost burdens 

continues to rise, particularly among the most vulnerable—seniors, 

persons with disabilities, and families with extremely low incomes. 

What measures would you support to help close this gap and address urgent affordable housing capital needs? 

A.4. If confirmed, I pledge to work to preserve and improve the affordable housing stock by promoting viable financing tools, including but not limited to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit ProVerDate Nov 24 2008 11:44 Dec 19, 2014 Jkt 046629 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 L:\HEARINGS 2014\11-13 NOMINATIONS\HEARING\111314.TXT JASON
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gram, the Federal Capital Fund Program, the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, and the Rental Assistance Demonstration Program, each of which enable housing authorities to partner and leverage public and private resources to rehabilitate properties and 

revitalize communities. 

Specifically, the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) Program is one solution to addressing housing preservation, enabling 

housing authorities to preserve and improve deeply affordable 

properties. Under RAD, housing authorities can convert public 

housing units to a new, more sustainable financing mechanism and 

leverage public and private funding to make needed capital improvements while preserving the long-term affordability. 

As I understand, across the country, demand for the RAD Program has been growing. HUD has approved RAD applications covering 60,000 public units as authorized by legislation, and due to 

growing demand HUD has established a waiting list with approximately 125,000 public housing units. It is also my understanding 

that HUD needs Congressional approval to lift the cap. 

The RAD program is one solution to addressing rental housing 

preservation, and if confirmed, I pledge to work with you, other 

Members of the Senate Banking Committee, and housing partners 

to ensure that programs such as RAD are available to housing authorities to address the urgent capital need in public housing and 

stem the loss of critical affordable housing. 

RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS OF SENATOR TESTER 

FROM LOURDES MARIA CASTRO RAMIREZ 

Q.1. Indian Housing: Ms. Ramirez, as you know, we have immense 

housing needs across Indian Country. I often hear that we have 

three or four families living in a two bedroom home. The Indian 

Housing Block Grant under NAHASDA is one of the most valuable 

tools that we have to reduce the backlog of housing needs in Indian 

communities. 

One of the consistent complaints about the program is that more 

money is being spent on rehabilitating and renovating existing 

housing stock and less money is being devoted to new construction. 

What things can we be doing together to provide more balance 

to the use of funds so tribes are not sinking money into fixing dilapidated and crumbling housing? 

A.1. Housing issues in Indian Country are complex and demand integrated solutions. I understand that HUD is currently conducting 

a comprehensive housing needs study which will be critical in 

quantifying and shaping HUD’s efforts to address the overwhelming housing need in Indian Country. I believe that through 

a cooperative effort, consistent with the Government-to-Government relationship that HUD has with Indian tribes, HUD can 

begin to effectively address the extraordinary housing needs in Indian Country. 

If confirmed, I look forward to visiting Native American tribes in 

Montana and throughout the country to gain a deeper understanding of the factors impeding the development of safe and affordable housing in Montana and in all of Indian Country. 

35 

Additionally, if confirmed, I look forward to working with you, 

other Members of the Senate Banking Committee as well as the 

Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Secretary Castro, and tribal 

leaders to find viable solutions that will lead to improving housing 

conditions and expanding housing opportunities in Indian Country. 

Q.2. Indian Veterans Housing: Last month, I was able to get out 

and visit some of Indian Country. On one of my stops in Minnesota 

to the Fond du Lac Reservation, I was able to see an Indian veteran’s housing project that would be greatly helped by the use of 

HUD/VASH funds. In addition, in my home State of Montana, the 

Crow Tribe is in the process of constructing similar housing dedicated to tribal veterans. 

As you are aware, because of program rules, these HUD/VASH 

vouchers provide challenges to tribal housing authorities and are 

not being used. 

We have made attempts to make changes to current law to expand the use of these vouchers in Indian Country, but is there an 

administrative solution that can be employed for this? 

A.2. I can certainly appreciate the benefit and impact of HUD 

VASH vouchers as I have extensive experience managing and overseeing a successful HUD VASH program in San Antonio and in Los 

Angeles. In San Antonio, the housing authority and the VA have 

built a strong, collaborative relationship through regular and 

meaningful communication and agreement on respective roles and 

responsibilities. The partnership reflects a shared goal of housing 

veterans and has resulted in housing more homeless veterans. In 

fact, as a result of this partnership, the San Antonio Point-in-Time 

survey indicates a significant reduction in the number of homeless 

veterans, from 668 in 2010 to 263 in 2014. 

If confirmed, I look forward to being briefed by HUD’s Office of 

Public and Indian Housing on the language included in the President’s FY2015 request that would allow vouchers to be used in Indian Country. 

Additionally, if confirmed, I look forward to working with you, 

other Members of the Senate Banking Committee as well as the 

Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Secretary Castro, and tribal 

leaders to determine how best to address the statutory prohibition 

regarding the use of HUD VASH vouchers in Indian Country. 

Q.3. RV Definition: As you may be aware, HUD recently released 

a memo regarding the RV Exemption under the Manufactured 

Housing Act. I understand HUD’s view that this memo reiterates 

HUD’s existing definition of an RV, but it has been viewed by 

many as a significant departure from existing guidance. 

As a result, some units marketed as ‘‘Park Model RVs’’ are no 

longer compliant with HUD’s RV definition. This has created significant uncertainty for the owners of these models who may now 

be subject to local zoning and construction codes, may be barred 

from campgrounds or have difficulty in securing financing to buy 

or sell such models. This is a huge concern in a State like Montana 

where many communities in the State, including many in Indian 

Country rely on tourism which often includes travel by RV. 

Following the upcoming Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee meeting, can you commit to me that HUD will move expediVerDate Nov 24 2008 11:44 Dec 19, 2014 Jkt 046629 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 L:\HEARINGS 2014\11-13 NOMINATIONS\HEARING\111314.TXT JASON
36 

tiously to consider its recommendations to update the RV definition 

and at a minimum, move to address the immediate uncertainty 

surrounding park model RVs? 

A.3. This is an issue that is under the jurisdiction of HUD’s Office 

of Office of Manufactured Housing Programs under the Office of 

Housing. I am unable to provide a substantive response to this 

question, as I do not have detailed knowledge or information on 

this matter. If confirmed, I will ask to be fully briefed on this matter by the Office of Housing, since, as you note, there is an impact 

on Indian Country. Additionally, I will work with your office and 

Secretary Castro to address this matter. 

Q.4. Small Public Housing Relief: Ms. Ramirez, as the CEO of the 

San Antonio Housing Authority I’m sure you have a very clear understanding of the difficulties that public housing agencies face 

when it comes to regulations. 

Over the last several years, I’ve heard from many of my public 

housing agencies—the majority of which are very lean organizations managing fewer than 500 units—about the impact regulations designed for much larger agencies, which limit their ability 

to carry out their core mission of helping families. 

This is one of the reasons that Senator Johanns and I introduced 

legislation to address the disproportionate regulatory burdens faced 

by small public housing agencies and would provide them with 

greater flexibility. I will continue to push this legislation, but many 

of its provisions are things that HUD has the flexibility to implement on its own. 

What are your ideas about how to provide small public housing 

agencies more flexibility by tailoring regulations to allow them to 

spend less time on paperwork and more time focusing on their core 

mission? 

A.4. As the CEO of a housing authority, I believe it is important 

to balance the need for monitoring and accountability with the 

need for limiting the burden on public housing authorities, particularly in a tight fiscal environment. Striking the right balance will 

help to ensure decent and safe affordable housing for residents, 

while protecting taxpayers through effective and appropriate oversight. 

I understand that the Department already has reduced certain 

administrative burdens in the public housing and Section 8 programs. Thanks to Congress, the Department has already reduced 

burden in the public housing and Section 8 programs through notice issued on May 19, 2014, and June 25, 2014. These notices were 

issued in accordance with streamlining authority provided to HUD 

by the Congress in the FY2014 Appropriations Act. I further understand that the Department is continuing to explore additional options for reducing administrative burdens on small housing authorities and, if confirmed, I look forward to being briefed and 

working with you, other Members of the Senate Banking Committee, and public housing authorities on this effort. 

Q.5. Administrative Fees: I continue to hear concerns about a lack 

of funds to administer Housing Choice vouchers, which is slowing 

down the issuance of new vouchers, limiting access, and increasing 

wait times. In Montana, many of our agencies are looking at a variVerDate Nov 24 2008 11:44 Dec 19, 2014 Jkt 046629 PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 6602 Sfmt 6602 L:\HEARINGS 2014\11-13 NOMINATIONS\HEARING\111314.TXT JASON
37 

ety of ways to cover these administrative costs, but many of them 

continue to come up short and some have even had to go so far as 

to return VASH vouchers because they don’t have the funds to administer them. 

Can you share with me any thoughts you have on ways that 

HUD could provide more flexibility to housing agencies and would 

you support allowing agencies to use some of their Housing Assistance Payment funds to cover these costs? 

A.5. The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program is a critically important housing assistance program serving approximately 2.2 million extremely-low and very-low income families, and enabling 

households to rent in the community of their choice. I have had extensive experience managing and leading the HCV program at the 

local level, both in Los Angeles and San Antonio. I also know that 

to effectively deliver vouchers to eligible families, adequate Administrative Fee funding is necessary. The Administrative Fee supports the direct costs of professional staff responsible for determining eligibility, issuing vouchers, inspecting units, and maintaining program integrity. If confirmed, I look forward to relying on my 

extensive managerial and leaderships skills to strengthen the HCV 

Program. 

I understand that the proposed FY2015 budget includes an increase to the Administrative Fee. Additionally, HUD is conducting 

an Administrative Fee study to gather accurate information on the 

costs associated with administering the HCV program, and to use 

this information to develop a new fee allocation formula. If confirmed, I look forward to working with the Department and utilizing the study to address the HCV Administrative Fee needs of 

housing authorities. 

RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS OF SENATOR VITTER 

FROM LOURDES MARIA CASTRO RAMIREZ 

Q.1. In 2009, HUD’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that 

HUD did not obtain the best value through one of its contracting 

programs (PBCA–ACC contracts) and was wasting at least $7.6 

million per year as a result. The OIG suggested that HUD perform 

an analysis to determine the most cost-effective method for implementing the program. In response to the OIG, HUD stated that its 

plan to address these failings included: 

• obtaining ‘‘market driven’’ savings through competition; 

• increasing the number of applicants that bid for the contracts; 

and 

• having applicants be ‘‘operational in various geographical service areas’’ to obtain ‘‘cost efficiencies with economies of scale.’’ 

Do you agree with HUD’s position in 2009 that these basic principles lead to the most cost-effective funding awards? 

A.1. I am unable to provide a substantive response to this question, 

as I do not have detailed knowledge or information on this matter. 

In addition, as far I am aware, the Office of Public and Indian 

Housing does not use a PBCA model. 

38 

Q.2. Do you agree that fair and open competition is the best way 

to ensure that HUD receives the best value and the taxpayer receives the greatest benefit for the costs incurred, for programs both 

within and outside the Office of Public and Indian Housing? 

A.2. If confirmed, I commit to working closely with HUD’s Contracting Officer to ensure that the procurement of goods and services by the Office of Public and Indian Housing complies with laws 

governing procurement and competition in contracting. I believe 

that the expenditure of public funds in the procurement process requires the highest degree of public trust and standard of conduct. 

Q.3. If a fair and open competition is the best way to ensure that 

HUD receives the best value and the taxpayers receive the greatest 

benefit, why has HUD neglected to follow the same basic competitive contracting rules as other Federal agencies, for instance with 

Performance-Based Contract Administration? 

A.3. I am unable to provide a substantive response to this question, 

as I do not have detailed knowledge or information on this matter. 

As noted in my response to the first question, as far as I am aware, 

the Office of Public and Indian Housing does not use a PBCA 

model. However, if confirmed, I am committed to complying with 

all contracting rules governing HUD and the Office of Public and 

Indian Housing. 

RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS OF SENATOR TOOMEY 

FROM LOURDES MARIA CASTRO RAMIREZ 

Q.1. In October, Senators Ayotte, Feinstein, Shaheen, and I wrote 

Secretary Castro to express concerns with the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s proposed renewal process for Moving-to-Work (MTW). Given your experience as the President and 

CEO of a MTW Agency, I wanted to give you the opportunity to 

weigh in on some of the issues raised in that letter. 

Given how far HUD’s current proposal is from what was offered 

to MTW agencies in March 2014, what is your view of HUD’s aggressive timeframe for a final renewal agreement by December? 

A.1. I understand that the Department has been collaboratively 

working with the 39 current MTW agencies to discuss the terms 

and conditions of extending their participation in the MTW Program through 2028, an additional 10 years beyond the current 

term that ends in 2018. This will better situate these MTW agencies to address long-term needs and to continue delivering critical 

housing and support services in their local jurisdictions. Finally, 

while I am aware that an end of the year goal has been established, I am confident that the Department will work to meet the 

needs of both the agencies and the Department, and if confirmed, 

I pledge to work toward this end. 

Q.2. HUD has proposed that extension agreements become effective 

upon execution instead of becoming effective on expiration of the 

current agreements in 2018. Again, what is your view of such an 

aggressive timeframe? Does it allow for a smooth transition for 

MTW agencies and the communities they serve? 

A.2. As I stated earlier, it is my understanding that both HUD and 

the MTW agencies established the goal of finalizing mutually 

39 

agreeable terms for new contracts by the end of the calendar year. 

Many of us have long-term real estate and program planning efforts that require funding predictability. However, based on San 

Antonio Housing Authority’s experience participating in contract 

extension discussions, all parties understand how critical it is that 

agreement be reached regarding program and funding flexibilities 

to continue local innovative work, while adding reporting and evaluation elements necessary to showcase that work. I should note 

that since being nominated by the President, I have delegated responsibility for participation in discussions with HUD regarding an 

extension of existing contracts as well as for participation with 

public housing trade associations. 

Q.3. As I understand it, the proposed extension includes a provision that would cut the public housing component for 11 MTW 

agencies in 2019. How will you ensure that these agencies can 

maintain their successful programs following this potential funding 

cut? 

A.3. I do not have detailed information about the funding arrangements for those 11 agencies nor do I have information that HUD 

has proposed provisions regarding any cuts to the public housing 

component. However, if confirmed, I look forward to being fully 

briefed on the proposed provisions. 

Q.4. In your written testimony, I was pleased to see concrete examples of SAHA using the flexibility provided by MTW to pursue innovative, community-wide economic development. As Assistant Secretary, will you work closely with MTW agencies to craft a renewal 

agreement that ensures them the flexibility to address their communities’ unique challenges? 

A.4. As the President and CEO of the San Antonio Housing Authority, I know how impactful an MTW designation can be in 

transforming the way public housing authorities deliver affordable 

housing resources in their communities. If confirmed, I will work 

closely with the Department and MTW agencies to develop a renewal agreement that supports the progress that MTW agencies 

and their partners have made in their local communities, while ensuring that monitoring and evaluation of the program remains a 

priority. 

Q.5. Legislative proposals to expand MTW have been introduced or 

debated in both the House and Senate—for instance the Affordable 

Housing and Self-Sufficiency Improvement Act of 2012 in the 

House and Moving to Work Charter Program Act of 2013 in the 

Senate. Would you support expansion of MTW as Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing? If so, are there any key reforms or considerations Congress should pursue in expanding 

MTW? 

A.5. Under my leadership and in partnership with local stakeholders, the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) has developed 

a thoughtful and effective MTW program that is achieving greater 

cost effectiveness in Federal expenditures; providing incentives 

that promote self-sufficiency; and increasing housing choices for 

low-income families in San Antonio. 

40 

SAHA has implemented several cost efficiency measures that not 

only streamline fundamental business processes but also provide 

better customer service to our residents. For example, the implementation of biennial reexaminations for elderly and disabled participant households resulted in a 30 percent reduction in the operational costs related to recertifications. 

Funding and programming for resident development and family 

self-sufficiency initiatives continues to grow and attain strong people outcomes. Today, there are more than 1,900 adults actively engaged in self-sufficiency activities, and 40 percent of them are employed. 

Investments in activities geared toward promoting resident development through education have included providing free Wi-Fi 

access at 40 public housing properties; establishing children’s libraries at 12 family housing sites; and coordinating the Education 

Summit, where we recognized children and youth for academic 

achievement and awarded college scholarships. 

Finally, SAHA adopted an Affordable Housing Preservation and 

Expansion Policy that established the principles, goals, priorities, 

and strategies to preserve and expand the supply of affordable 

housing. In the last 5 years, SAHA expanded the supply of affordable housing by securing $187 million in financing, through public– 

private partnerships, to build almost 1,500 new housing units. 

If confirmed, I look forward to engaging with you, other Members 

of the Senate Banking Committee and housing partners to explore 

the best path forward with respect to existing MTW agencies and 

those PHAs seeking to become MTW agencies. I also look forward 

to increasing awareness of the positive impact that the MTW program is making in delivering critical housing resources, promoting 

self-sufficiency, reducing administrative costs, and implementing 

appropriate monitoring and evaluation protocols. 

RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS OF SENATOR CRAPO 

FROM THERESE W. McMILLAN 

Q.1. Back at our January Banking Committee Hearing on MAP– 

21 progress, I asked then-Administrator Rogoff for assurances that 

the FTA would not impose regulations that are unduly burdensome 

to small transit systems, which he gave. 

May I ask again for your assurances that you will continue on 

this same issue if you are confirmed as the new FTA Administrator? 

A.1. If confirmed, I can commit to the same assurances you received from my predecessor for consideration of small transit systems. 

FTA is taking a comprehensive approach to its MAP–21 rulemaking requirements with thoughtful consideration to the effect on 

smaller operators. 

With regard to FTA’s safety authority, we believe that using a 

safety management system (SMS) approach, where we tailor the 

safety regime to the unique circumstances of the individual transit 

provider, is the best approach. SMS will allow each transit agency 

to focus on its specific safety risks and threats—without adding unnecessary burden. 

41 

With regard to Transit Asset Management (TAM), FTA believes 

that we can apply the new requirement that all agencies have an 

asset management plan with a scalable, flexible approach. It 

should be noted that not all transit agencies will be required to report asset information to the National Transit Database (NTD), including recipients who are solely funded by Sec. 5310 funding. Further, we are sensitive to the resources of agencies who will be 

asked to report their asset inventory data. 

We also recognize the importance of reaching out to the public. 

FTA published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 

(ANPRM) on safety and TAM in October 2013 and conducted several webinars seeking public input on how best to implement the 

new authority. We received more than 2,500 pages of comments, 

many from small and rural operators, and FTA is now in the process of reviewing and analyzing them before preparing for the next 

steps in the rulemaking process. 

Finally, FTA plans to be an active partner with transit providers, 

providing guidance, training, and technical support as we work to 

implement these programs. We will be there to assist with understanding requirements and determining the proper level of resource 

commitment. All this can and will be scaled appropriately to the 

different sectors of public transportation. 

Q.2. The Banking Committee has a strong record of balancing the 

needs of rural and urban States and I look forward to continuing 

that principle as we move toward reauthorization. 

Do you agree that rural transit service is important and should 

grow proportionately with transit? 

A.2. I agree that rural transit service is important and should grow 

proportionally with transit. Rural transit provides a lifeline for 

those who are unable to use a personal vehicle to access education, 

employment, health care, and other vital services. If confirmed, I 

look forward to working with you to address the needs of rural 

transit systems and riders across America. 

RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS OF SENATOR 

MENENDEZ FROM THERESE W. McMILLAN 

Q.1. As you know, the recovery from Hurricane Sandy is ongoing, 

even as we just reached the 2-year anniversary of the storm. I appreciate the investment FTA recently made in resiliency projects 

for New Jersey Transit and the Port Authority of New York and 

New Jersey, but as you know, more work remains to done. It’s vital 

that we invest the remaining FTA emergency relief funding in the 

places that were hardest hit, to ensure a full recovery and prevent 

more catastrophic damage from future storms. 

Can I have your commitment that the remaining Sandy transit 

emergency relief funds will be targeted towards the hardest hit 

areas? 

A.1. While I agree there is much work left to be done to fully recover and rebuild the areas hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy, I am 

pleased to report that 92 percent of the $10.4 billion provided to 

FTA has now been allocated to the transit agencies. This includes 

42 

the selection of 40 projects totaling $3.59 billion for the resiliency 

needs of affected agencies announced in September 2014. 

FTA is currently holding the remaining 8 percent of the funding, 

approximately $817 million, in reserve for future recovery needs 

arising from latent storm damage, higher contract bids than anticipated, and a variety of other possible circumstances. If confirmed, 

I intend to work with you and others on this Committee to distribute these funds to the areas hardest hit by the storm. 

Q.2. One of my top priorities is providing Federal support for the 

Gateway project, which includes new tunnels under the Hudson 

River and the replacement of New Jersey’s Portal Bridge, which 

are both over 100 years old. If either the bridge or the tunnels fail, 

you’ll see a complete severing of the Northeast Corridor and a crippling bottleneck in a region that produces 20 percent of the Nation’s GDP. Gateway is truly the definition of a project of national 

significance, and we can’t wait until one of these pieces of critical 

infrastructure fails to find a solution. 

Can I have your commitment to working within DOT to help us 

with the advancement of this project through any funding, financing, or technical assistance resources at your disposal? 

A.2. If confirmed, I commit to work within DOT to address the 

challenges that aging infrastructure presents to the Northeast Corridor. 

The tunnel infrastructure under the Hudson River that jointly 

serves Amtrak and New Jersey Transit is a serious concern for the 

region’s continued economic success. I fully understand the importance of this tunnel to the region’s economy. Indeed, in recognition 

of the importance of this project, the Department allocated $185 

million from FTA’s Hurricane Sandy funding to the Federal Railroad Administration for use in the project. I look forward to working with you, the State of New Jersey, and Amtrak to identify additional resources in order to move this project forward. 

The Administration’s GROW AMERICA Act proposal would provide Amtrak with predictable, dedicated funding to repair and replace its aging infrastructure, like these tunnel arteries. The proposal also boosts funding for FTA’s New Starts program to $2.5 billion per year, and transit agencies like New Jersey Transit would 

be eligible to apply. 

If confirmed, I look forward to working with you and this Committee to identify DOT funding sources available for this critical 

project. 

RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS OF SENATOR TESTER 

FROM THERESE W. McMILLAN 

Q.1. Rural Transit: Thank you for joining us today, Ms. McMillian. 

As you know, Montana is a very large State and often folks need 

to travel long distances to access basic services. In many cases, 

these trips to see a doctor, to see family member or to go to work 

are made possible by public transit. And in our larger towns, ridership is continues to increase as our transit systems continue to 

grow. 

43 

Would you agree, Ms. McMillian, that transit is important and 

should be supported in rural and small communities, not just in big 

metro areas? 

A.1. I agree that rural transit service is important and should grow 

proportionally with transit. Rural transit provides a lifeline for 

those who are unable to use a personal vehicle to access education, 

employment, health care, and other vital services. If confirmed, I 

look forward to working with you to address the needs of rural 

transit systems and riders across America. 

Q.2. When FTA imposes new regulatory or program requirements, 

compliance can be particularly difficult for small and rural transit 

providers. Unlike large transit agencies, the costs of compliance 

have to be spread only over a small staff and ridership. 

As you make decisions to impose new requirements, how will you 

work to consider the implications for small and rural providers? 

A.2. If confirmed, I intend to ensure that small and rural providers 

are not unnecessarily or disproportionately burdened by Federal requirements. 

FTA is taking a comprehensive approach to its MAP–21 rulemaking requirements with thoughtful consideration to the effect on 

smaller operators. 

With regard to FTA’s safety authority, we believe that using a 

safety management system (SMS) approach, where we tailor the 

safety regime to the unique circumstances of the individual transit 

provider, is the best approach. SMS will allow each transit agency 

to focus on its specific safety risks and threats—without adding unnecessary burden. 

With regard to Transit Asset Management (TAM), FTA believes 

that we can apply the new requirement that all agencies have an 

asset management plan with a scalable, flexible approach. It 

should be noted that not all transit agencies will be required to report asset information to the National Transit Database (NTD), including recipients who are solely funded by Sec. 5310 funding. Further, we are sensitive to the resources of agencies who will be 

asked to report their asset inventory data. 

We also recognize the importance of reaching out to the public. 

FTA published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 

(ANPRM) on safety and TAM in October 2013 and conducted several webinars seeking public input on how best to implement the 

new authority. We received more than 2,500 pages of comments, 

many from small and rural operators, and FTA is now in the process of reviewing and analyzing them before preparing for the next 

steps in the rulemaking process. 

Finally, FTA plans to be an active partner with transit providers, 

providing guidance, training, and technical support as we work to 

implement these programs. We will be there to assist with understanding requirements and determining the proper level of resource 

commitment. All this can and will be scaled appropriately to the 

different sectors of public transportation. 

Q.3. Tribal Transit: Ms. McMillian, the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma has contacted the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs regarding the distribution of the Nation’s transit money. According to 

the Nation, the FTA has withheld distributing approximately 

44 

$330,000 Tier 1 and Tier 2 funding that is undeniably due to the 

Nation according to the MAP–21 formula. 

I understand that this is because there is some dispute regarding 

the distribution of Tier 3 funds between Nation and United 

Keetoowah Band. It seems very harmful to hold up funds clearly 

owed to a Tribe under the law because of an unrelated dispute. 

What assurance can you provide the Committee that this funding 

will be distributed to the Nation in a timely manner? 

A.3. I am pleased to report that FTA has successfully mediated an 

agreement between the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and the 

United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee for a sub allocation for Tier 

3 funds for FY13 and 14. This agreement was necessary prior to 

processing their grant applications; as a result both tribes may now 

apply for Tier 1, 2, and 3 funding. 

FTA expects to receive and process grant applications from both 

tribes in the near future. If confirmed, I would be happy to work 

with you and other Members of the Committee on issues pertaining 

to the Tribal Transit program. 

RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS OF SENATOR WARREN 

FROM THERESE W. McMILLAN 

Q.1. Study after study demonstrates new rail and subway expansions are one of the strongest and most effective ways to boost the 

economy and stimulate private investment, but the up-front costs 

have caused Congress to hold back on funding. 

Acting Administrator McMillan, do you agree with these recent 

studies that capital investment in rail transit can stimulate economic growth and do you believe that New Starts projects such as 

the Green Line project in Massachusetts are one of the strongest 

and most effective ways for States to boost the economy and stimulate private investment? 

A.1. I agree that investments in transit stimulate economic growth. 

There are examples of economic growth all over the country as 

a result of the construction of new or expanded transit projects. 

Employers, health service providers and others are choosing to locate near transit. Private developers are building residential areas 

near transit stops. Transit can serve as a revitalizing influence in 

neighborhoods across the United States. 

There are two excellent examples of economic development to 

note in Massachusetts, and we expect more to follow when the 

Green Line project gets underway in Cambridge in the near future. 

Assembly Square Station in Somerville is the anchor of the $1.5 

billion Assembly Row mixed-use development area, which has revitalized the former Ford Motor Company Plant into a vibrant place 

to work, shop and live. 

In Worcester, a new regional transit hub, connected to the redeveloped Union Station, has played a key role in attracting private 

investors to CitySquare, a $563 million public–private commercial 

real estate project that will create a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly 

center in downtown Worcester. 

There is great news coming from other parts of the country as 

well. In Orlando, Florida, the SunRail commuter rail line has connected millions of residents of Central Florida with employment 

45 

and education in downtown Orlando, and has spurred $1.6 billion 

in public and private investments near SunRail stations. Notably, 

a $250 million public–private partnership to create a Health Village at Florida Hospital has resulted in quality health care and 

thousands of jobs becoming easily accessible through transit. 

And finally, in Denver, Colorado, the transformation of historic 

Union Station into a multimodal transportation hub has attracted 

nearly a billion dollars in related private investment, anchoring 

two new commuter rail lines that will better connect the region’s 

3 million residents to downtown Denver. 

If confirmed, I look forward to working with you to advance transit projects that generate economic development and employment 

while improving quality of life in their communities. 

RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS OF SENATOR HEITKAMP 

FROM THERESE W. McMILLAN 

Q.1. In North Dakota, our transit providers do not have big subway 

systems or fleets of several hundred buses like the providers in big 

urban areas. However, transit is important to rural areas as well, 

especially to some of our more vulnerable populations. If confirmed, 

how will you ensure that rural and small communities are supported? 

A.1. Thanks to the work of this Committee, MAP–21 increased 

funding for both the rural and tribal transit formula programs, giving FTA the ability to partner with more agencies to bring transit 

service to rural and tribal areas needing relief. 

FTA has several critical support activities under way through it 

technical assistance resources, such as the National Rural Transportation Program (NRTAP) and the National Center on Mobility 

Management (NCMM) that have been tailored to the issues facing 

rural transit providers. FTA also published the final program guidance for the Rural Area Formula grant program on October 24, 

2014, an important resource for service providers. This incorporates 

changes made to the section 5311 program and crosscutting requirements resulting from the passage of MAP–21. 

If confirmed, I look forward to working with this Committee and 

our rural transit providers to improve access to much needed transit service. 

Q.2. Small transit providers can face particular challenges when 

new regulations are imposed as the cost of regulation must be absorbed by very small staffs and small ridership. When developing 

new requirements, do you intend to ensure that small and rural 

providers are not unnecessarily or disproportionately burdened? 

A.2. If confirmed, I intend to ensure that small and rural providers 

are not unnecessarily or disproportionately burdened by Federal requirements. 

FTA is taking a comprehensive approach to its MAP–21 rulemaking requirements with thoughtful consideration to the effect on 

smaller operators. 

With regard to FTA’s safety authority, we believe that using a 

safety management system (SMS) approach, where we tailor the 

safety regime to the unique circumstances of the individual transit 

46 

provider, is the best approach. SMS will allow each transit agency 

to focus on their specific safety risks and threats—without adding 

unnecessary burden. 

With regard to Transit Asset Management (TAM), FTA believes 

that we can apply the new requirement that all agencies have an 

asset management plan with a scalable, flexible approach. It 

should be noted that not all transit agencies will be required to report asset information to the National Transit Database (NTD), including recipients who are solely funded by Sec. 5310 funding. Further, we are sensitive to the resources of agencies who will be 

asked to report their asset inventory data. 

We also recognize the importance of reaching out to the public. 

FTA published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 

(ANPRM) on safety and TAM in October 2013 and conducted several webinars seeking public input on how best to implement the 

new authority. We received more than 2,500 pages of comments, 

many from small and rural operators, and FTA is now in the process of reviewing and analyzing them before preparing for the next 

steps in the rulemaking process. 

Finally, FTA plans to be an active partner with transit providers, 

providing guidance, training, and technical support as we work to 

implement these programs. We will be there to assist with understanding requirements and determining the proper level of resource 

commitment. All this can and will be scaled appropriately to the 

different sectors of public transportation. 

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