Richard Y. Nelson, Jr. has returned to HOC as a Commissioner for a second time. Mr. Nelson initially served from 1991 until 2007 and served as chair from 2003 until 2007. Commissioner Nelson was reappointed to the Board of Commissioners in February 2015.
Commissioner Nelson has considerable experience in housing and community development. In 2007, he was appointed by County Executive Isaiah Leggett to serve as Director of the Department of Housing and Community Affairs of Montgomery County with responsibilities for the County’s MPDU program, the affordable housing trust fund, community development activities, housing code enforcement and landlord tenant affairs. Most of Commissioner Nelson’s professional career was spent at the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) where, after holding several different positions, he became the executive Director, a position he held from 1987-2001.
He was appointed in January, 2015 to serve on the Affordable Housing Council of the Federal Home Loan bank of Atlanta.
Mr. Nelson earned an A.B. degree from San Francisco State University and a Juris Doctor Degree from Temple University School of Law.