program analyst

economist

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

I am ultimately accountable for maintaining 32 grantee program files, ensuring the files are above reproach and ready for any internal or external audit. In this process I must deliver good and bad news related to submitted documentation and maintain constructive  and deliberate communication with each unique worker in the programs. I develop training, organize conference, review every budget and invoice, provide partner development and conflict resolution. I track and evaluate their outcomes and provide quarterly report summaries to each program grant. IN addition to the grantee issues I work with the marketing and outreach division to design and produce strategic plans, website design, contract management of all contractors, developing videos and publication and working with high level federal agency representatives to advance the Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control. .The allocated money we receive also requires us to review up to 300 new applicant each year and I have served as the co chair of the Risk Analysis team while developing improved budget tools, wrote policy and overall improve the resources we utilize to interact with grantee and achieve goals. All monies are regulated under Title X, 24 CFR, 2012 HUD Guidelines and program policy which I am expected to know and provide reference to for every conflict resolution.

HUD is easily one of the best places I've worked as a federal government employee.  The work environment in my office is non-hostile and open to new ideas.  For a government agency, this is a refreshing change of pace!

During my time with HUD, thus far, I have really been able to focus heavily on honing my IT system skills.  I have always been quite adroit with technology, but at HUD I really feel like my skills were challenged and valued in this specific aspect of my professional life. 

The people I work with have been great so far.  Some of the best people I've worked with, in my entire working life, actually.  Management is honest and fair to me, and that's about all one can ask for.  My peers and co-workers are accepting and competent.  

I enjoy coming into work most when there is a problem that needs to be solved, the tighter the deadline the better.  For whatever reason, I seem to thrive on pressure and I always seem to do my best work when under the gun.  At the same time, I do value the lulls in work load as well.  I would say that, at least for this specific position, the hardest part about my job is the inconsistency of work--truly feast of famine.  Some weeks work would overflow from my desk, while other weeks there wasn't a task to be found within 50 feet in any direction.

There are multiple types of housing vouchers in the housing choice voucher program. The amount of money given to the housing vouchers for the elderly and disabled cannot be lowered. Preferential treatment cannot be given to those who have children. There are housing vouchers that give you a place to stay as well as help you find work and will provide for you transportation. There are vouchers that will help you pay off any loans used to buy your house if you are having trouble paying off your home loan and you have paid most of it already. Most housing vouchers will pay 70% of your rent and 70% of your utilities. The mandatory wait time to get a housing voucher is 5 years but since there is such a long line the average wait time is 7 years. The maximum amount of time that you can have a housing voucher is 5 years. I believe if you have been in public housing chronically you can skip the mandatory wait time as well as stay on the housing voucher indefinitely. You cannot get a voucher for a house that you have always wanted to have. Last time I checked the program to rebuild churches that have been torched due to hate crimes is currently unfunded.

If you value housing as an important factor in improving peoples' lives, HUD is a great place to work. Like any federal agency, there are many separate business units that serve specific agency policies, priorities, and functions; and they all add up to an important role in service to our country. As in any government agency, the organizational structure is pretty flat with few opportunities for career advancement, but the pay, benefits, job security are solid. The best location in which to work for HUD is at headquarters in Washington, DC... the main pitfall there is management, which tend to be subject matter experts, some of which have no people skills and no business being managers. As with any job, it is best to learn how to manage up, and take your career by the horns--that way, you can reduce the effect poor management has on your career path and overall outlook on working at HUD

During my years of employment as a Laborer at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, I worked as a contract employee with Victory Van Lines.  I had numerous assignments working in warehouse facilities.  I have done many jobs that has required me to have knowledge in readying warehouse blueprinting, interpreting warehouse documentation and understand certain warehouse procedures in order to do my assignments successfully.  

In my career I have performed many tasks involving physical labor at building, highway, and heavy construction projects, tunnel and shaft excavations, and demolition sites. I safely operated hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. Cleaned and prepare sites, dig trenches, set braces to support the sides of excavations, erect scaffolding, clean up rubble and debris, and remove asbestos, lead, and other hazardous waste materials.

I really hit the jackpot when it came to getting hired in my first federal position that happens to have a great supervisor.  I can honestly say that I really have a manager that cares about how the staff is during in these unprecedented times and continuously teleworking during COVID 19 pandemic.  
On my first day I was assigned to a Senior worker to help me navigate my first year and it's been great since we aren't working in the office and difficult coming in to go straight to remote working.  All of my coworkers get along for the most part and like any other environment you going to have issues within a group of people that comes from different backgrounds and span decades in ages. Seems like they work well together for the common goal of assisting our communities.  
The hardest part of the job is not being able to really see my coworkers a few times a week, they seem to have a lot of great office stories. The most enjoyable part is getting to help so many people in the state and community.  

•	Responded to and coordinate inspection activities for Individual Assistance disasters
•	Communicated with FEMA and State disaster stakeholders on inspection-related actions
•	Monitored contractor production requirements and quality of work
•	Coordinated efforts to resolve disaster-specific challenges
•	Quantified key measurable activities using a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan
•	Facilitated meetings with program staff, co-workers for interpreting governmental policies, regulations, and legal guidelines to provide guidance 
•	Reviewed, Administer, Implement and monitor various programs such as Public Housing Program and Section 8 project-based rental assistance within the Disaster Assistance Housing Program for the purpose of evaluating current policies and procedures. 
•	Maintained records to ensure completion and accuracy in accordance with federal, state and organizational regulations.

Firstly, to begin my day I check my emails that usually would include my assignments for the day as well as emails that needed to be forwarded to the correct staff members. I would then update my supervisor on any upcoming appointments, meetings or teleconferences. Whenever I would have any down time, I would check the printers for paper and ink. I would also check with management for any additional work that they needed done. Once a week, we would have a office meeting where I would take notes and keep up with important topics that were discussed as well as providing input when asked. The hardest part of the job was learning how to operate the electronic filing system that we used to store and protect the agency's most important files. The most enjoyable part of the job was the relationship that my supervisor and I built during my tenure. I learned a lot about the company and how to grow within the company.

I've worked in a few areas of HUD, and it can vary by program area. There are some constants though. The environment can be very politicized, and you may be judged for any expressed political views if they don't follow the general government employee trend. Middle management tends to be undertrained and management promotions come by the ability to do work, not manage people or make decisions. This makes for managers who don't understand basic human resource policies and procedures, management techniques, communicate poorly, and are unpredictable in decision making. There are shining exceptions to this rule, and I'm lucky enough to have one of those now (although I would argue they are not middle management, but upper management). You will not find a place with better job security, inclusiveness, retirement, telework allowance, or work/life balance.

This is a great question. In the context of recent, or upcoming graduates, and especially for those coming out of business schools, I would assure them that there are great opportunities for students to get involved with government. To be honest, this is a perspective that I did not necessarily hold before I started at HUD. There are a lot of very smart, mission-driven people who are very engaged. The government workforce is very similar to what I experienced in the private sector. My message to a college student or young professional is do not be afraid to choose the federal government as a career path. There are many opportunities and many different ways to add and create value in your resume through the government. The government is interesting, fun, and it is fascinating to understand how it operates to help the American people. Working at HUD allowed me to see what the press largely does not report, and that is all of the great initiatives that the admi

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Program analyst 3 salaries reported	$135,000 per year
Economist 1 salary reported	$118,426 per year

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