Moises Loza's remarks at Art's funeral

How does one talk about or describe Art?

To an unbending, inflexible bureaucrat who forgets that his job is to serve, meeting Art was probably like a splash of ice cold water to the face. For most of us, Art was more of a warm, reassuring embrace.

Art was many things. For one, he was a teacher. Many of us in the room learned from Art. We learned about rural housing, regulations, procedures, and so on. Art traveled around the country training many others about rural housing for the poor. His teaching took many forms. I remember Art used to keep a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter in the office. At lunchtime, he would spread out in the conference room and eat his peanut butter sandwiches while many of us gathered around him with our lunches (or without) and learned from him as he dispensed his wisdom. Now I realize how valuable those sessions were.

Art was also a mentor. Many of us grew and developed because of his guidance. He would take anyone willing under his wing and give of himself so readily. If we failed to grow it is our failing, but whatever smarts we came away with can be attributed to Art's wise counsel.

Art could be funny. A highlight of our Christmas parties was Art reading his poetry. Sometimes we laughed and sometimes we groaned, but that never fazed him.

He could also be silly. I remember when we walked the halls of federal buildings and Congress, Art would start skipping just to embarrass the rest of us who were trying so hard to behave properly.

Most of all, Art was a man of principle. He stubbornly clung to his beliefs regardless of who agreed with him. Art's son earlier described him as a man of fairness and justice and he was right. Art believed in treating people fairly and in respecting everyone's rights.

There are many people around the country who live in decent housing because of Art's work, and many more will. There's a saying in Spanish, "Te llevo en el corazon." Roughly translated, "I carry you in my heart." All those people who have benefitted from Art's work will never know him, but whether they realize it or not, they carry him in their hearts, as do we.

Remembering Art Collings

The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) is setting up this blog for our inimitable friend and colleague Arthur M. (Art) Collings, Jr., who died on March 23, 2010.

Art began working in rural housing in 1955. He started in New Jersey as an assistant county supervisor at the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA), quickly moving up to county supervisor and then to a variety of other positions in New Jersey and Washington, D.C. Beginning in 1972, the year in which the newly created Housing Assistance Council began hiring staff, Art's jobs at FmHA alternated with periods at HAC. He served as special assistant to FmHA Administrator Gordon Cavanaugh from 1977 to 1980. From 1986 until his reluctant retirement at the end of 2004, Art served as HAC's senior housing specialist.

Gordon Cavanaugh, HAC's first executive director, once explained that he hired Art because he was told Art was the most liberal staffer at FmHA. "He taught the rest of us everything we knew," said Cavanaugh. "Arthur was just extraordinarily dedicated, well informed, and a good-humored gentleman."

Art wrote dozens of publications about USDA's rural housing programs, from manuals on how to use them to analyses of how they could be improved. He authored a number of amendments to the programs, advised people all over the country on their use, and conducted countless training sessions.

Art's dedication to improving housing conditions for low-income rural Americans was unmatched. His feistiness and humor, added to his extensive knowledge of USDA's rural housing programs, made him unique, sometimes frustrating to work with, and well-loved around the country.

Art is survived by his wife Jean, his sons Art and David, and his grandchildren. Information about his funeral will be posted here when it becomes available.

Many, many people in the rural housing world have Art Collings stories. Please feel free to use this site to share them. If you have problems with the site or want to contact HAC directly, please email Leslie Strauss at leslie@ruralhome.org or call her at 202-842-8600.