George Kelly Named Administrator for USDA’s Rural Housing Service; Joe Gilson New RD Chief of Staff

CARH’S BROADCAST E-MAIL – Regulatory Alert

June 27, 2025

On June 25^th, USDA announced the appointment of George Kelly as the Administrator of the Rural Housing Service (RHS). According to USDA, Kelly spent most of his career as a commercial real estate developer with Hines Interests Limited Partnership. He has had roles in banking, affordable and workforce housing, strategy consulting, and government. He was a scholar in residence at the Urban Land Institute.

It was also announced that Joe Gilson was appointed Chief of Staff at Rural Development. Gilson previously worked at the American Farm Bureau Federation as Director of Government Affairs. Prior to joining AFBF, Joe worked for Senator Chuck Grassley as the legislative assistant for agriculture, trade, energy, and environmental issues.

CARH’s Executive Director, Colleen Fisher, on behalf of all CARH members, would like to congratulate both Mr. Kelly and Mr. Gilson on their recent appointments. “We are excited for them to bring their experience and passion for housing to the agency and look forward to working with them both during this key time for preservation of rural housing properties.”