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Honoring and congratulating Brian A. Hudson, Sr. on the occasion of his retirement following 45 years of loyal and dedicated service to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including the citizens of the City of Philadelphia.
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WHEREAS, Brian was born and raised in the City of Harrisburg; and
WHEREAS, Brian attended public school in Harrisburg and started work at the Pennsylvania Housing Finance as a staff accountant beginning in 1975; and
WHEREAS, For the past 45 years, Brian has worked tirelessly at the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA), taking on ever-increasing responsibilities; becoming Manager of Investments in the Finance Division beginning in 1978, then Director of Finance in 1988, Assistant Executive Director of Finance and Administration in 1989, Deputy Executive Director in 1995, and finally as the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer in 2003, serving in that capacity for 16 years; and
WHEREAS, Brian received his Bachelor of Science degree, became a Certified Public Accountant, and became a Certified Treasury Professional, all while working full-time at PHFA, and raising his family of five boys during the past 45 years with his loving wife Gena; and
WHEREAS, Brian has dedicated his life to creatively financing affordable housing and ensuring access to affordable housing; expanding economic opportunities and community reinvestment; championing the exposure and dismantling of systemic discriminatory practices that adversely affect people's lives; directing transactions securing $12 billion in bond financing for single-family mortgage programs; investing more than $240 million in agency resources to fund multifamily housing projects throughout the Commonwealth; and administering numerous state and federal housing programs for community development and for the repair and retention of homes for people of modest means; and
WHEREAS, Brian, as part of his statewide housing initiatives, has made a tremendous impact in the City of Philadelphia by his creative and innovative financing of affordable housing initiatives of all kinds in all communities, including North and South Philadelphia, and East and West Philadelphia, with some examples being support for transformation initiatives with the Philadelphia Housing Authority; financing Homeownership Choice programs to stimulate economic development in homeownership corridors such as One APM; leading partnerships with the People’s Emergency Center and Project HOME; funding housing studies to tackle issues of systemic undercounting of homelessness in the Hispanic community, possible redlining and disparate financing practices in communities of color; and spearheading pilot programs such as the Bridge Loan Program in partnership with the City to expand financing opportunities for affordable housing; and
WHEREAS, Brian is a well-respected and highly regarded national leader in affordable housing, having served on the Board of the National Council of State Housing Agencies, the Federal Home Loan Bank Board of Pittsburgh, the National Housing Trust, and various other nonprofit organizations centered on the advocacy of affordable housing; and
WHEREAS, Brian is well respected by the entire affordable housing industry and will be sorely missed in Philadelphia, where nearly 15,000 affordable rental units have been developed with the assistance of Brian and PHFA, as well as in all the other places in the Commonwealth where he has left his mark. His leadership, his enthusiasm, his kindness and his endless interest in creating and expanding housing opportunities for all have been a permanent and positive influence on the City of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby honor, congratulate, commend, and thank Brian A. Hudson, Sr. on the occasion of his retirement following more than 45 years of loyal and dedicated service to the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and its citizens.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Brian A. Hudson, Sr. as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
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