Washington – Obama Names Bronx Borough Pres. as Urban Affairs Dir.

Washington – President Barack Obama has tapped two men with ties to New York for White House urban affairs jobs.

Obama said Thursday that Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion’s appointment as White House Director of Urban Affairs will bring long overdue attention to urban areas, where 80 percent of the nation’s population lives and works.

Carrion has served two terms as Bronx Borough president.

The president also named Derek Douglas as special assistant to the president for urban affairs. Douglas has served as Washington counsel for New York Gov. David Paterson.

The White House said Carrion oversaw creation of 40,000 new units of housing, 50 new schools and $7 billion in capital and infrastructure expenditures.