During the campaign, President Obama often talked about working as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago and said it made him aware of the needs of big cities. He said he would create an office of urban policy to better coordinate federal programs that were spread over many federal agencies. He said the office would "develop a strategy for metropolitan America and to ensure that all federal dollars targeted to urban areas are effectively spent on the highest-impact programs."

On Feb. 19, 2009, the White House announced the office had been created and named two people to oversee urban policy. Adolfo Carrion, who served two terms as Bronx borough president in New York and one term as the president of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, was named director of urban affairs. The release said he will report directly to Obama.

Derek Douglas, who had been serving as the Washington liaison for New York Gov. David A. Paterson, was named special assistant to the president for urban affairs.

So, the office has been created and the director does indeed report directly to the president. Promise Kept.