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As the coronavirus pandemic arrived in America, it
revealed many of our country's great strengths, most
notably the resilience and determination of our people to
overcome adversity.
A close second has been our nation's
technological leadership and the innovative
spirit of U.S. businesses to deliver goods and
services in alternative, safe, and effective ways.
You can place the venerable Federal
Housing Administration (FHA) in that
category. Created in 1935, the FHA is the
agency most responsible for expanding
minority homeownership, helping to house
vulnerable populations, and supporting
housing markets, when needed, in times of
economic stress.
Were it not for a timely investment in
the modernization of FHA's information
technology (IT) systems—a generational
shift in the way FHA does business—FHA
might have been ill-equipped to handle the
challenges of this more-fully digital age.
What could have been an unfortunate tale of
a government bureaucracy missing its mission
has instead turned into a story of success.
Nearly two years ago, the Administration
requested—and Congress listened and
provided—a $20 million down payment for
FHA's IT modernization, with another $20
million the following year. at's half of what
the FHA IT team believes it needs to fully
modernize its business systems.
Cover Story By: The Hon. Brian D. Montgomery
FHA'S TIMELY IT
MODERNIZATION
Investment in the modernization of FHA systems has made an enormous difference
in 2020, and the outlook continues to get better.
