HUD Layoffs Caused Delays and Confusion in Housing Programs, Independent Report Finds

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development shed almost 30% of its staff, efficiency measures that have made it more difficult to navigate, according to a new report.A report from the Government Accountability Office shows HUD reduced its headcount by 29% from December 2024 to December 2025, mostly through deferred resignation programs. But many of those who left were among its most experienced people, and many agencies that work with HUD say it's become harder to work with. The cuts come as the Trump administration shifted HUD's focus to new strategies to fight homelessness, as well as stopping fraud from housing agencies. In May testimony before a House appropriations committee, HUD Secretary Scott Turner emphasized efficiency. "Taxpayer dollars are finite but our responsibility is not," Turner said. HUD's downsizing effort "reins in wasteful spending and stops the ballooning of federal welfare programs," he said. In the meantime, he said some of those programs lost focus.Democrats quickly criticized the Trump administration following the report.Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said the cuts have meant cuts to housing programs that would improve affordability. Warren request...