Homelessness Caucus Co-Chair Ramirez & Reps Tlaib and Gomez, Chairs of Mamas’ and Dads Caucuses: ‘HUD cuts dismantle vital housing support systems and put countless lifelines for working families in jeopardy’

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03) – Co-Chair of the Homelessness Caucus – was joined by caucus leaders, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12, Mamas’ Caucus) and Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34, Dads Caucus and Congressional Renters Caucus), called out the Administration for the catastrophic consequences a 50% workforce reduction in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) would have for working families. In a letter addressed to Secretary Scott Turner, the members of Congress urged immediate action to protect the vital housing programs and services that families rely on.

According to the members, HUD plays a vital role in addressing housing insecurity, promoting fair housing practices, and ensuring that low-income working families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities have access to safe and affordable housing. The drastic workforce reductions at HUD and FHA would harm working families across the country, contribute to housing instability, and impede the ability of the agency to prevent people from falling into homelessness. 

“At a time when housing instability is at an all-time high, the Musk-Trump administration’s decision to gut HUD is a direct attempt to push families and children to homelessness. It’s hypocritical to say that they are looking to build a golden age for America while actively eliminating the programs that help our working families stay safe, sheltered, and afloat,” said Congresswoman Ramirez. “The administration needs to put an end to the senseless cuts.”

“It is despicable that the world’s richest man is tearing resources away from the most vulnerable. Recklessly firing HUD employees means profound disruptions to the programs that keep families housed, enforce fair housing laws, and assist first-time homebuyers in getting a mortgage. No one elected Elon Musk. These cruel cuts must be stopped and reversed,” said Congresswoman Tlaib, Chair and Co-Founder of the Mamas’ Caucus

“Eliminating half of HUD’s workforce will cripple essential housing services, exacerbate the crisis, and lead to millions of Americans losing their homes,” said Rep. Jimmy Gomez, Founder and Chair of the Dads Caucus and the Renters Caucus. “That’s why we’re pushing the Trump administration to halt these layoffs and protect access for safe, affordable housing for hardworking Americans.”

The letter, cosigned by 25 additional Democratic representatives, highlights the following impacts:

• Weakened FHA Mortgage insurance programs as a result of cutting 40% of FHA’s workforce. The FHA plays a vital role in ensuring homeownership opportunities for first-time and low-income buyers. Cutting this workforce could disrupt mortgage processing and slow down loan approvals.
• Severe impacts on homeless assistance efforts due to fewer staff managing HUD’s homelessness assistance programs at a time when homelessness rates are rising.
• Diminished Fair Housing enforcement caused by a weakened HUD workforce. It would severely limit the agency’s ability to investigate housing discrimination claims, undermining decades of progress in fair housing protections.
• Increased risk to public housing programs due to fewer staff overseeing maintenance and funding distribution, putting housing units at risk of disrepair and residents at risk of deteriorating living conditions.
• Reduced capacity to administer Housing Choice Vouchers on account of a significant loss of HUD staff would slow the processing of housing vouchers, placing thousands of families at risk of homelessness.

The letter is cosigned by Congressmembers Becca Balint (VT-AL), Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), André Carson (IN-07), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Lou Correa (CA-46), Danny Davis (IL-07), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Sarah McBride (DE-AL), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Grace Meng (NY-06), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Paul D. Tonko (NY-20), Lori Trahan 9MA-03), and Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07). 

To read the full letter, click here. 

Background

In Chicago, the new set of federal cuts at the hands of the Trump administration will impact the number of grants the HUD can offer to organizations, threatening housing anti-discrimination efforts led by community organizations. On February 26, a report from the Chicago Tribune highlighted that at least 20 Midwest HUD employees had already received termination notices, endangering the services for families in Illinois. 

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