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Authority head named secretary of organization

By Amy Zalar 2 min read

The executive director of the Fayette County Redevelopment Authority was recently appointed as secretary of a regional redevelopment organization. Andrew French, executive director of the Fayette County Redevelopment Authority since February 2005, was recently appointed secretary of the Middle Atlantic Regional Council of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials during NAHRO’s summer conference in Denver, Col.

“I look forward to serving as secretary of MARC-NAHRO and am honored that my colleagues across the county have recognized my continued work in the community development and redevelopment fields,” French said.

“Through my appointments, I hope to not only advance the broad national and regional goals established by NAHRO and MARC-NAHRO, but to also use this experience and knowledge to help expand resources for affordable housing and community revitalization initiatives within Fayette County,” French said.

The appointment comes on the heels of French’s selection to a national committee. French also serves as the only representative from Pennsylvania on NAHRO’s Community Revitalization and Development Committee.

French said he has also received word that he may be appointed to a position on a state redevelopment organization. He said he kind of performed the progression backwards, as most people start out with local appointments and work their way up the national level.

French, an advocate for the need for Community Development Block Grant and other funding, said his appointment will provide him with access to more direct information and he can stay in touch with the whole appropriations process, which should make him a more effective advocate.

He said the CDBG program was in danger of being cut 25 percent but the appropriations committees of both the U.S. House and Senate have proposed keeping it at current levels.

Prior to accepting employment with the redevelopment authority in 1999, French held similar positions with the cities of Hampton and Newport News, Va.

According to NAHRO’s Web site, NAHRO is the leading professional organization for housing and community development practitioners. The organization has 18,220 individual members and 3,250 agency members, including housing and redevelopment authorities across the country.

MARC-NAHRO serves as one of eight regional councils and covers Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia.

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