Ben Carson's top deputy at HUD resigns

WASHINGTON — The HUD official considered by many to be crucial to both the agency's smooth operation and to Puerto Rico recovery efforts resigned Monday and will transition out of the role in January.

As deputy secretary of HUD, Pam Patenaude ran operations at the $50 billion agency. Current and former HUD officials and low-income housing advocates all described the HUD veteran as instrumental to the functioning of the federal housing agency.

Some said she and not HUD Secretary Ben Carson "ran the agency." A HUD spokesperson pushed back sharply on that characterization.

"This morning I informed Secretary Carson of my decision to leave HUD in the new year," Patenaude tweeted in a statement. "Serving at HUD as Deputy Secretary has been the highlight of my 35-year career in housing."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ben-carsons-top-deputy-at-hud-resigns/ar-BBR5Skz?li=BBnbcA1