Manuel T. Ochoa has over 25 years’ experience in urban planning, housing, and
community development. Manuel is Principal and Founder of the Ochoa Urban
Collaborative. Previous to founding Ochoa Urban Collaborative, Ochoa has been a
leader in community and economic development with a unique mix of experience in
federal and local government as well as national non-profits. Since its founding in 2019,
Ochoa Urban Collaborative has prepared fair housing plans for the City of Cumberland
and Prince George’s County; a HUD Consolidated Plan and housing strategy for the
City of Cumberland; a needs assessment for Coamo, Puerto Rico; advised the
Foundation for Puerto Rico in implementing its Whole Community Resilience Planning
program; and prepared a small business support strategy for the Purple Line corridor in
Maryland.
Previously, Manuel served as Director of Federal Affairs at the National Association for
Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB) where he led policy and federal technical
assistance and consulting to public housing authorities, local, and state government
with particular expertise in disaster recovery, fair housing, rural programs, the CDBG,
and HOME programs. Previous to NALCAB Manuel was Senior Policy Analyst and
Program Director at Enterprise Community Partners where he led a national fair
housing policy stakeholder group and advanced fair housing policy within the
organization. In 2015, Manuel was a key member of the team that provided
recommendations to the City of Miami on the use of city-owned land for housing and
community development as part of the National Resources Network for Cities.
Manuel has experience on the ground as Regional Director of Homeownership for the
Latino Economic Development Center where he led a team of seven housing
counselors who served hundreds of clients in Washington, DC and Montgomery
County, Maryland during the foreclosure crisis. Prior to his local work, Manuel also
served in significant advisory and management roles at the US Department of Housing
and Urban Development where he advised three HUD Secretaries and three Assistant
Secretaries. As Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grant Programs in the Office of
Community Planning and Development, he oversaw the Community Development Block
Grant program, the HOME program, and Environmental Review Office. He was
responsible for $30 billion in disaster recovery funds most notably Hurricanes Katrina
and Rita as well as the Midwest Floods. During this time, he also led the effort to
launch HUD’s first Neighborhood Stabilization Program. Throughout his seven years of
service at HUD, Manuel worked with members of Congress, Congressional staff,
Governors, and Mayors on a wide variety of issues. He has been invited to speak as an
expert nationally and internationally and has served on pro-bono technical assistance
team for the National League of Cities and the Urban Land Institute.
He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, is fluent in Spanish, and
lives with his family in Friendship Heights, Maryland. Manuel also enjoys running,
gardening, traveling, walking cities, and reading history.
