HUD DOGE Task Force Created As Employees Brace For Staffing Cuts

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is launching a Department of Government Efficiency Task Force, ordered by new HUD Secretary Scott Turner.

A press release said the intent is to “review how HUD is spending American taxpayer dollars” and ensure the agency’s budget and programs are maximized to “advance the purpose of the department.”

Turner is establishing the task force to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.

“HUD will be detailed and deliberate about every dollar spent to serve rural, tribal, and urban communities,” Turner said. 

“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we are no longer in a business-as-usual posture and the DOGE task force will play a critical role in helping to identify and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse and ultimately better serve the American people. We have already identified over $260 million in savings and we have more to accomplish.”

The press release links to a post on Turner’s X account relaying the same number. He is shown in an interview on “The Charlie Kirk Show” where he says the savings can be linked to contracts.

An X post from DOGE claims that the department has recovered $1.9 billion related to HUD.

“These funds were earmarked for the administration of financial services, but were no longer needed. @SecretaryTurner and @DOGE worked together to fix the issue and de-obligated the funds which are now available for other use by the Treasury,” it reads.

DOGE did not explain the process by which it determined the funds were “no longer needed.”

DOGE’s official website simply reads, “Receipts coming over the weekend!” 

At the same time, HUD employees are bracing for significant layoffs in divisions that provide housing assistance, investigate discrimination, and compile data and research.

Analysts fear that drastic changes at HUD will negatively impact American homeowners and buyers.

“I’m not particularly optimistic about DOGE’s impact on federal agencies,” Jesse Van Tol, the president and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, told Politico.

“You shut down the CFPB, it’s going to affect real people but it’s likely to be felt over time. You mess with HUD, you’re potentially impacting people right away — immediately.”