Van Amerongen speaks at a recent Associated Builders & Owners lunch

Deborah Van Amerongen, commissioner of the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), addressed the Associated Builders and Owners of Greater New York, Inc. (ABO) at its January 10 luncheon at The National Arts Club. In her address, Van Amerongen presented governor Elliot Spitzer's state of the state funding proposal for affordable housing and discussed her role in the Housing and Community Renewal Division. Van Amerongen began by presenting copies of governor Spitzer's state of the state proposal address to ABO members. She was excited to reveal that on January 9, the governor proposed in his $1.5 billion infrastructure and economic development plan, a total of $400 million for the new Housing Opportunity Fund, which will support affordable and supportive housing across the state. On January 24, 2007, governor Spitzer appointed Van Amerongen to serve as the commissioner of DHCR, a state division that is responsible for the supervision, maintenance and development of affordable low and moderate-income housing in New York State. Before joining DHCR, Van Amerongen served as the director of Multifamily Housing for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in New York City. Prior to joining HUD, she worked in the New York State Assembly as a legislative coordinator for the program and council staff.