Governor Newsom Announces Appointments
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Gustavo Velasquez, 47, of Takoma Park, MD, has been appointed director of the Department of Housing and Community Development. Velasquez has been senior director at the Urban Institute since 2017. He was assistant secretary for the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 2014 to 2017. Velasquez was executive director at the Latino Economic Development Center from 2013 to 2014. He was director of the Office of Human Rights from 2007 to 2013 and the Office of Latino Affairs from 2003 to 2006 for the government of the District of Columbia. Velasquez earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $196,021. Velasquez is a Democrat.
Zachary Olmstead, 41, of Sacramento, has been appointed chief deputy director of the Department of Housing and Community Development. Olmstead has been deputy director of housing policy development at the Department of Housing and Community Development since 2017 and was assistant deputy director of homelessness and housing policy there from 2016 to 2017. He was senior assistant to Speaker Toni G. Atkins in the California State Assembly from 2013 to 2016. Olmstead was homeless policy director at Housing California from 2006 to 2013. He earned a Master of Public Policy and Administration degree from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $168,000. Olmstead is a Democrat.
Doug McCauley, 55, of Sacramento, has been appointed commissioner of the Department of Real Estate. McCauley has served as chief deputy director of the Department of Housing and Community Development since 2018, and has served as acting director of the Department since 2019. He was executive officer at the California Architects Board from 2001 to 2018. McCauley earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Golden Gate University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $161,628. McCauley is a Democrat.
