- HUD will reduce its workforce by 50%, which will impact offices responsible for civil rights enforcement, housing market data, and disaster recovery funding.
- The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will not be affected by the layoffs.
- A new task force within HUD will evaluate spending and identify additional cost-cutting measures.
It looks like the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is getting its way after all, per Bisnow. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced plans to cut half of its workforce as part of a broader federal downsizing effort.
Newly confirmed HUD Secretary Scott Turner has also launched a task force to review more potential workforce and budget reductions.
Slashing HUD in Half
According to Antonio Gaines, president of the HUD’s employee union, the planned cuts will affect employees working in civil rights enforcement, housing market analysis, and disaster relief funding.
These reductions come amid a federal government-wide push to shrink the workforce, spearheaded by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who leads the newly formed DOGE.
Notably, the cuts will not affect employees at the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which provides mortgage insurance for home loans. As of 2023, HUD had approximately 8.9K full-time employees, meaning the layoffs would eliminate around 4.45K jobs.
Neither HUD nor its union immediately responded to requests for comment.
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New Task Force
Beyond the initial workforce reduction, newly confirmed HUD Secretary Scott Turner has launched a Department of Government Efficiency Task Force to review spending and streamline operations.
The DOGE task force, composed of HUD employees, will assess how to maximize the agency’s budget and ensure resources are used effectively.
“HUD will be detailed and deliberate about every dollar spent to serve rural, tribal, and urban communities,” Turner said in a statement.
Turner credited President Trump’s leadership for initiating these changes and stated that HUD has already identified over $260M in savings, with additional reductions expected.
More Downsizing
The HUD layoffs align with a broader federal workforce reduction strategy. On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order directing all agencies to work with DOGE to cut staff and limit hiring to essential positions.
Additionally, the Deferred Resignation Program, which offered voluntary buyouts to federal employees, has now closed. Approximately 75K employees—or 3.3% of the federal workforce—accepted the offer.
What’s Next
With the task force in place, more cuts at HUD may be on the horizon as the agency evaluates cost-saving measures.
The impact of these reductions on HUD’s ability to enforce housing laws, support disaster recovery, and provide housing market data remains uncertain.
