Public Service

Gate House Vice Chairman Hunter Kurtz, when he served as Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing (PIH) at HUD, had led a team of staff who were determined to address a critical challenge for a vulnerable population in America, our nation’s youth who age out of foster care and are at risk of homelessness.

The HUD PIH team designed a new program, the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative (“FYI Initiative”) which now provides rental assistance and other supportive services to these individuals.

In his recent article for HousingWire, Kurtz congratulates his former colleagues for receiving the prestigious “Sammies” Award in recognition of their innovative approach and execution of the FYI Initiative.

Kurtz applauds the work of his former colleagues as well as the many families of the Foster Youth program who volunteer to make a tremendous difference in the lives of at-risk youth. They are “un-sung heroes” in our national life, Kurtz says.

The FYI Initiative has now issued over 1,000 housing choice vouchers for former foster youth. Without support, an estimated 25% of youth aging out of foster care experience homelessness within four years.

Gate House Vice Chairman Hunter Kurtz moderated a panel for the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) forum on the critical need to address homelessness amidst our nation’s veterans.

“America’s Call to Duty: Ending Veterans’ Homelessness” was hosted by the BPC’s J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy. The panel featured Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) Chairman, Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, House Committee on Veterans Affairs; Philip Mangano, President and CEO, The American Round Table to Abolish Homelessness; Rosanne Haggerty, President and CEO, Community Solutions; John Kuhn, National Director, Supportive Services for Veteran Families, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; and Kathryn Monet, Chief Executive Office, National Coalition for Homeless Veterans.

During the forum, the experts discussed the unique challenges facing our veterans population, the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, and strategies that have proven effective in combating veterans homelessness.  While there has been tremendous success throughout the country reducing veterans homelessness in recent years, removing tens of thousands from the streets, significant work remains to demonstrate our nation’s commitment to our veterans and to ensure those who have served our country and defended our freedom are stably housed.

Reflecting on his long career in public service, Gate House Chairman Brian Montgomery spoke with DS News about the key lessons he has learned over the years.

Montgomery’s remarkable journey, which began driving in a Vice Presidential motorcade in his home state of Texas, took him to the White House, back to Texas to the Governor’s Mansion, and then back again to the White House and, eventually, to HUD and FHA (twice).

Montgomery was with the President of the United States on 9-11. He was at HUD dealing with the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and the housing collapse, and in 202, he was back at HUD addressing the unique challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reflecting on what he has taken away from these experiences, Montgomery takes pride in getting things done, in working with people on both sides of the aisle, and seeking common ground.  When trying to get something accomplished in Washington, he emphasizes, “Don’t ever assume anything, especially in a political environment. You never know how people will react to something, especially if you’re telling them you need their help.”