President Gerald Ford formally nominated Carla Anderson Hills to be the 5th U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
On February 13, 1975, President Gerald Ford formally nominated Carla Anderson Hills to serve as the 5th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. At the time, Hills was a respected attorney who had served as Assistant Attorney General heading the Civil Division of the Department of Justice under President Nixon, giving her substantial federal legal experience.
The nomination was notable because it signaled the Ford administration's willingness to elevate a woman to one of the most powerful posts in the federal government, overseeing national housing policy, urban development programs, and fair housing enforcement at a time when American cities faced significant economic and infrastructure challenges.
Her nomination set the stage for her confirmation and swearing-in less than a month later, an event that would make history. The nomination itself represented a significant vote of confidence in a woman's capability to lead a major federal department during an era when such appointments were exceedingly rare.
This nomination is documented in presidential and historical archives, including the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, and represents a pivotal step in the broader movement toward gender parity in high-level government appointments.