[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 122 (Tuesday, July 13, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E754]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      THANKING ANDREW LOFTON FOR A LIFETIME OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND 
                    CONGRATULATING HIM ON RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ADAM SMITH

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 13, 2021

  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Andrew 
Lofton's outstanding career with the Seattle Housing Authority and 
congratulate him on a well-earned retirement after nearly five decades 
in public service.
  Over the course of his astonishing career, Mr. Lofton held a variety 
of titles including Chief of Staff to Mayor Norm Rice, Budget Director 
of the City of Seattle, Chief of Departmental Operations for the City 
of Seattle, and most recently, the Executive Director of Seattle 
Housing Authority.
  The positive impact Andrew has made on his community cannot be 
stressed enough. Seattle is without a doubt better because of his hard 
work, dedication, and passion for developing affordable housing. Under 
his leadership as Executive Director, the Seattle Housing Authority 
grew by over 1,500 units making a world of difference for over 3,000 
children and adults. He grew the Seattle Housing Authority to the 
largest it has ever been, serving over 37,000 Seattle residents in over 
8,400 units.
  In a career full of achievements, one that stands out is his role in 
organizing and leading the community of Moving to Work Housing 
Authorities and serving as the first President of the Moving to Work 
Collaborative. This work was absolutely critical in piloting a new 
approach to more effectively and efficiently using Federal housing 
resources to serve low income communities. Moving to Work agencies 
assist families with children where the head of the household is 
seeking work or participating in a workforce development program. Not 
only do they help these families become economically stable, but they 
also increase housing choices for low-income families. Because of 
Andrew's dedication, these programs remain successful in Washington and 
across the country.
  Andrew was also pivotal in the Community Moves to Opportunity 
initiative. This partnership between Seattle Housing Authority, King 
County Housing Authority, and Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights 
research team at Harvard paved the way to broaden geographic choice and 
access to opportunity neighborhoods for low-income families. This work 
has been foundational for new national mobility efforts funded by 
Congress and currently being rolled out by the Department of Housing 
and Urban Development.
  Madam Speaker, it is my great pleasure to congratulate Andrew Lofton 
on a distinguished career. The State of Washington is lucky to have had 
him working for its people and after 47 years of service he always 
worked with grace, a generosity of spirit, and a never-failing sense of 
humor.

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