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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the latest housing agency to be targeted by the Trump administration’s cost-cutting efforts. On Thursday night, Bloomberg Law reported that HUD’s union president told the publication that HUD plans to “discharge 50% of its workforce.”
“Antonio Gaines, president of AFGE National Council 222, said the department will cut employees in the offices that enforce civil rights laws, compile data about the housing market, and pay to rebuild communities after disasters,” the article states. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which provides mortgage insurance on loans, will not be part of the cuts, according to Bloomberg.
On Tuesday, President Trump signed an Executive Order implementing the President’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) workforce optimization initiative, which called for agency heads to “coordinate and consult with DOGE to shrink the size of the federal workforce and limit hiring to essential positions.” The executive order directs agencies to “undertake plans for large-scale reductions in force and determine which agency components (or agencies themselves) may be eliminated or combined because their functions aren’t required by law.”
HUD’s website states that it employs 9,600 people.
HUD staffers were already on alert this week after the White House reportedly solicited information from the department to justify the existence of various contracts. According to reporting by NPR, a spreadsheet was sent to employees, asking them to assess the importance of contracts, whether or not they have diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, or if the contractor is “competent.”
The inquiry was sent by a senior adviser to DOGE. It also requested the name of a “contract champion within the bureau who will personally vouch for the answers,” the report explained. Answers were due back on Tuesday.
The HUD news follows a chaotic week for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which included the appointment of two acting directors, the shutdown of most of the bureau’s functions, closure of its headquarters and a directive for staff to stop working — all before the nomination of Jonathan McKernan as director on Tuesday.
The Senate confirmed Scott Turner as Trump’s HUD Secretary just last week. Turner is a former professional football player and Texas state representative for part of Collin County and Rockwall County. He played for the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons prior to entering politics for teams including the former Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos.
After being confirmed, Turner said of HUD: “The path ahead of us presents an opportunity to restore HUD to its core mission of supporting strong and sustainable communities and quality, affordable homes — serving our nation’s most vulnerable. We must reduce burdensome regulations to make homeownership easier while unleashing prosperity that has been stifled in communities across the country for far too long.”
In his short time in HUD leadership, Turner has pledged to “quarterback” efforts to bring Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac out of conservatorship and announced the department would walk back its gender identity policy — mirroring two of the president’s priorities.
