Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge, the second Black woman to head the agency, has announced her retirement. During her three-year tenure Secretary Fudge proved to be a tireless guardian of fair housing practices and racial justice in housing. She marshalled the power of 8,000 employees and a $68 billion dollar budget to further to provide affordable housing for Americans in dire need of both shelter and fair treatment. LDF President and Director-Counsel Janai Nelson issued the following statement:
“Secretary Fudge’s leadership at HUD has been an exceptional capstone to a brilliant, decades-long career in public service. Under the prior administration, HUD was a poorly functioning system that had dismantled core civil rights protections designed to ensure equal access to fair housing. When Secretary Fudge assumed control of the agency, she began a notable transformation of the agency’s reputation and stature.” said Janai Nelson, LDF, President and Director Counsel. “From day one, Secretary Fudge began restoring and strengthening vital civil rights protections–from restoring HUD’s ability to enforce laws against disparate impact discrimination, to revitalizing the affirmatively furthering fair housing rule, to beginning to limit restrictions that prevent people with prior criminal legal contact from accessing housing. Her wide-ranging work to take on discriminatory practices that disproportionately impact Black and Brown people will be a cornerstone of her legacy.
“Secretary Fudge focused on advancing racial justice and equal and affordable housing opportunities with the sensibility of a local leader and the strategy of a cabinet powerhouse. We are grateful for the secretary’s efforts, successes, and partnership in reviving one of America’s most important agendas: building and opening the door to fair housing for all Americans.”
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