Shaun Donovan, the former secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and former director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), has been appointed CEO of Enterprise Community Partners, a national housing nonprofit that aggregates housing investments, advocates for housing policies and builds and manages communities.
Donovan, who served during the full eight years of the Barack Obama administration, bring to the role nearly three decades of housing policy and community development initiative experience. Prior to serving as HUD Secretary from 2009 to 2014, Donovan served as the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development commissioner under Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
“Coming to Enterprise is, in a way, coming home for me,” Donovan said in a statement. “Housing touches everything in a person’s life. A good education, a good job, a healthy, prosperous life – all of it revolves around having a safe, stable place to live. Unlike any other time in my life, housing affordability is on the national radar. It’s a moment I’ve been preparing for throughout my whole career. I am honored to work with my new colleagues, our partners, developers, and investors to achieve our shared vision of a country where home and community are stepping stones to so much more.”
In 2020, Donovan launched a campaign to run for mayor of New York City. He raised significant amounts of money early in the process, but ultimately lost to current incumbent Eric Adams.
Donovan later joined the Ford Foundation as a senior fellow in the summer of 2022. He currently serves as a trustee of the Urban Institute, Regional Plan Association, Greater NY and Rethink Food and sits on the advisory board for Opportunity Insights.
“Enterprise has in Shaun a leader who understands how to use the runway this organization has built as a catalyst for solving some of the toughest challenges this country has ever faced,” said Phyllis Caldwell, the Enterprise board vice-chair. “Drawing from his experience, Shaun understands the complex way promoting an affordable home intersects with transportation, workforce training, health, and the environment. He’s able to view the full picture of how these factors come together – and will bring that to bear at Enterprise.”
Donovan will assume his new position in September. The organization’s interim co-CEOs Lori Chatman and Drew Warshaw will continue to serve in their roles as president of Enterprise’s Capital division and chief operating officer, respectively.
Enterprise says it has invested $64 billion since 1982 and has created roughly 1 million homes across all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.