Workers at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are preparing for substantial staff reductions, impacting key divisions that provide housing assistance, investigate discrimination, and conduct market research.

According to Antonio Gaines, president of AFGE Council 222, which represents HUD employees, approximately 50% of the department's workforce is expected to be laid off. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), responsible for insuring mortgage loans, appears to be unaffected by these cuts.

"We expect more cuts to come," Gaines said. "It's pretty devastating. There could be huge disruptions in services to American citizens." He expressed concerns about how reductions and voluntary buyouts could impact services such as housing vouchers and grants to rural hospitals.

Some divisions will experience cuts exceeding 50%. Offices responsible for investigating housing and employment discrimination are expected to face reductions of up to 75%. Other significantly impacted areas include the Office of Policy Development and Research, which manages extensive data on the U.S. housing market, and the Office of Community Planning and Development, which administers affordable housing programs, homelessness assistance, and disaster recovery efforts.

The staffing cuts are part of a broader effort to reduce the size of the federal government. The initiative has led to the layoff of hundreds of thousands of federal employees, with additional workers opting into a deferred resignation program. The full extent of the reductions and their impact on HUD services remains uncertain.