Michael Liu, the former assistant secretary for public and Indian housing, left the Bush administration in May 2005 and quickly joined a lobbying firm to work on housing issues.

But Liu and his partner, another former Bush official, have since dropped a plan to lobby Congress and the Department of Housing and Urban Development because he was involved in the development of public housing rules. Liu instead plans to help cities and public-sector entities find financing for affordable-housing projects.

"We're not involved in lobbying," Liu told Judy Sarasohn of The Washington Post.

During his tenure at HUD, Liu oversaw a steady decline in Indian housing funds. But he also expanded Indian home loan programs, lifted Clinton-era restrictions on tribal housing programs and worked with tribes to clear up discrepancies in the distribution of self-determination funds.

Get the Story:
Special Interests: A Lobbying Venture Is Stymied (The Washington Post 9/1)
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Relevant Links:
Office of Public and Indian Housing, HUD - http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih
National American Indian Housing Council - http://naihc.net

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