AP
Lynne Patton.
Lynne Patton, Eric Trump's wedding planner and former Vice President of the Eric Trump Foundation, has been chosen by the Trump administration to lead Region II of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which includes New York and New Jersey.Starting July 5, Patton will oversee Section 8 vouchers, various grant programs, and billions of dollars in federal funding for public housing, according to The New York Daily News.
Her resume didn't include experience in anything related to housing or urban planning until January 2017, when she was appointed as HUD's director of public engagement.
In 2014, Patton planned the wedding of Eric Trump, son of Donald Trump, and was an advisor to the Trump campaign. From 2009 to 2011, she was a Trump Organization event organizer of "upscale events and celebrity golf tournaments," PR, and fundraising.
Her LinkedIn page also lists Yale University as her alma mater, a fact Politico suggests is not true. For two semesters, she attended the Quinnipiac University of Law but did not graduate, according to the NY Daily News. She holds an undergraduate degree in English literature and psychology from the University of Miami.
As HUD's Region II director, Patton will be responsible for distributing funds to important city services, including the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), which needs an estimated $17 billion in upgrades. In March, NYCHA officials told The Wall Street Journal that HUD may slash up to $150 million in funding from its programs - the largest decrease in five years.
The states of New York and New Jersey rely on HUD's programs to provide vital social services, disaster recovery, and investments in critical infrastructure. Patton will likely have a steep learning curve.