79R5293 KO-D

By:  Merritt                                                    H.C.R. No. 57 



CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, The Honorable Alphonso Jackson, Secretary of the 
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, is an 
outstanding Texan who has rendered immeasurable service to the 
citizens of Texas and the United States; and
	WHEREAS, Nominated by President George W. Bush, Secretary 
Jackson was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate as 
the nation's 13th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development on 
March 31, 2004; with that appointment, he inherited an enormous 
challenge as the president set a goal two years ago for the creation 
of 5.5 million new minority homeowners by the end of the decade; 
Secretary Jackson has boldly risen to that challenge and, to date, 
there has been a net increase of 2.2 million minority homeowners in 
the country, which represents a remarkable 40 percent of the 
president's goal; and
	WHEREAS, Under Secretary Jackson's leadership, sales of new 
single-family homes in the United States have set a record with 1.2 
million sales in 2004, a nine percent increase above the record set 
the previous year; a new national homeownership record was also set 
in 2004, with 69 percent of American families owning their own 
homes; moreover, minority homeownership set a record annual rate of 
51 percent, which translated into more than 15.5 million minority 
homeowners; and
	WHEREAS, Alphonso Jackson witnessed firsthand the struggles 
of urban Americans, growing up the youngest in a family of 12 
children in Dallas; later, he set out to help other families in need 
when he served as president and chief executive officer of the 
Housing Authority of the City of Dallas; during his tenure there 
from 1989 to 1996, that agency was consistently ranked as one of the 
best-managed large city housing agencies in the country; he has 
also worked as a senior administrator of housing agencies in St. 
Louis and Washington, D.C., and is an experienced executive in both 
the public and private sectors; immediately preceding his 
appointment at HUD, Secretary Jackson served as president of 
America Electric Power-TEXAS, a $13 billion utility company located 
in Austin; and
	WHEREAS, Secretary Jackson has shared his expertise on public 
housing and urban issues with a number of state and national 
entities, including the General Services Commission of the State of 
Texas, which he served as chair; he has also served on the National 
Commission of America's Urban Families, the National Commission on 
Severely Distressed Public Housing, and numerous nonprofit and 
corporate boards; and
	WHEREAS, Described by President Bush as a man of great 
integrity and compassion, Secretary Jackson has worked tirelessly 
during his tenure as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to 
facilitate the goal of home ownership for more Americans, 
particularly minorities; a firm supporter of the belief that we 
best serve our neighbors in need by empowering them to pursue their 
dreams, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to improving the 
lives of all Americans and truly represents the very best in 
government service; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 79th Legislature of the State of Texas 
hereby recognize the Honorable Alphonso Jackson, Secretary of the 
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, for his 
innumerable contributions to the people of this state and nation 
and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success with his 
important work; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for Secretary Jackson as an expression of high regard by 
the Texas House of Representatives and Senate.