Brian D. Montgomery

Brian D. Montgomery is an American public servant whose career has spanned several decades and multiple presidential administrations. He has held senior positions within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including acting Secretary in 2009, Deputy Secretary from 2020 to 2021, and Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner on two separate occasions. Prior to his HUD appointments, Montgomery served as a White House aide during the George W. Bush administration, where he was involved in presidential advance operations and policy development related to housing and disaster response.

Early life and career

Montgomery was born on August 2, 1956, in Austin, Texas. He grew up in Houston and attended Westbury High School before enrolling at the University of Houston, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. While at university, he became an initiate of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity’s chapter at the University of Texas at Austin. His family background includes Mexican ancestry on his mother’s side; he is a grandson of Mexican immigrants.

Montgomery entered federal service in the early 2000s, beginning as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Advance from January 2001 until January 2003. In this role, he traveled with President George W. Bush during critical moments such as the September 11 attacks, accompanying the president at Ground Zero on multiple occasions. For his service during that period, Montgomery and other White House staff received recognition for their distinguished contributions.

From January 2003 to April 2005, Montgomery served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary. During this tenure he helped shape policy across a broad range of issues, including initiatives aimed at increasing homeownership rates, expanding access to affordable housing, and reforming the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act and government‑sponsored enterprises. His involvement in the aftermath of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster led him to head a White House working group that monitored the investigation, an effort that contributed to the development of the President’s vision for space exploration. For this work he was awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in June 2004.

Cabinet tenure

In February 2005, Montgomery was confirmed as Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner. During his first term in this position, which lasted until July 2009, he championed a modernization initiative for the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The resulting Modernization Bill, passed by the House of Representatives in July 2006, sought to increase borrower flexibility through policy and programmatic changes such as higher loan limits, updated down‑payment assistance options, and a risk‑based premium structure. Montgomery’s focus was on providing low- and moderate-income borrowers with safe homeownership opportunities at fair prices.

His tenure also emphasized the preservation of affordable multifamily rental housing, primarily through mortgage insurance mechanisms and flexible refinancing options. Montgomery played a central role in disaster recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina, chairing HUD’s Hurricane Recovery and Response Center at headquarters. He coordinated temporary and long‑term housing solutions for displaced individuals across the affected regions.

In addition to his policy work, Montgomery contributed to outreach initiatives aimed at encouraging first-time homebuyers within African-American communities. His participation in a National Public Radio interview highlighted these efforts. In 2008 he received the Robert J. Corletta Award for Achievement in Affordable Housing from the National Association of Home Builders and the Neighborhood Development Collaborative, recognizing his creativity and dedication to affordable housing.

After the departure of Secretary Steve Preston on January 20, 2009, Montgomery served as acting Secretary of HUD until President Barack Obama’s nominee, Shaun Donovan, was confirmed by the Senate on January 22 and sworn in on January 26. This brief period marked Montgomery’s only time serving as the head of the department.

Montgomery returned to his previous role as Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner in May 2018 after being nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the Senate. He continued in this capacity until 2020, during which he also served as acting Deputy Secretary of HUD following Pam Patenaude’s departure in January 2019. In October 2019, Montgomery was formally nominated to become Deputy Secretary, a position he held from May 12, 2020, until the end of the Trump administration in 2021.

Beyond his official duties at HUD, Montgomery has remained active in the housing sector. Since May 2022, he has co‑chaired the National Association of HomeBuilders Mortgage Roundtable. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Five Star Institute. More recently, he earned a CERT Certificate in Cyber Security Oversight from Carnegie Mellon University’s Software Engineering Institute and NACD in April 2023.

Legacy

Montgomery’s career is distinguished by his repeated service as Federal Housing Commissioner under three different presidents—George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump—making him the only individual to hold that position twice across multiple administrations. His work on FHA modernization helped shape contemporary mortgage policy, expanding access for lower‑income borrowers while maintaining program integrity.

His leadership during the Hurricane Katrina recovery demonstrated a capacity to coordinate large‑scale disaster response within HUD, ensuring displaced residents received timely housing assistance. The outreach campaign targeting African-American first-time homebuyers reflected an ongoing commitment to addressing historic disparities in homeownership.

Montgomery’s recognition through awards such as the Robert J. Corletta Award and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal underscores his contributions both within and beyond the realm of housing policy. His post‑government roles, including co‑chairing a national mortgage roundtable and pursuing advanced cybersecurity credentials, indicate a continued engagement with evolving challenges in the housing and financial sectors.

Overall, Montgomery’s service record illustrates a sustained focus on expanding affordable housing options, modernizing federal mortgage programs, and responding to emergencies that affect housing stability. His career reflects an ability to navigate policy development across changing political landscapes while maintaining a consistent emphasis on public service within the field of housing and urban development.