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Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) are sounding the alarm on the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) cost-cutting plan. The plan includes canceling $30 million in grants to local fair housing groups and slashing HUD and Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) staffing by 50 percent and 77 percent, respectively.
The two leaders, along with 106 of their colleagues, sent a letter to HUD Secretary Scott Turner reminding him of his duty to enforce the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and other housing-related civil rights laws, despite President Trump’s flurry of executive orders attacking diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Waters and Warren told Turner his duty to uphold fair housing “isn’t discretionary” and his decision to rescind Obama-era Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Act and Equal Access rules contradicts his promise to protect fair housing during his January confirmation hearing. Turner, they said, is “irresponsible” and “putting people’s lives at risk” by following DOGE’s recommendations.
“Housing discrimination is illegal in the United States and violators may be subject to criminal penalties under the law,” the letter read. “FHEO plays a critical role in implementing and enforcing the Fair Housing Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972.”
“These statutes were enacted by Congress to prohibit discrimination in housing and federally funded programs based on race, color, national origin, disability, sex, familial status, religion, and other protected characteristics,” it added. “You previously voiced your commitment to upholding the Fair Housing Act during your Senate confirmation hearing, yet your actions in your first month on the job have directly contradicted that statement.”
The senators ended the letter with a list of eight questions for Turner to answer by March 27. The questions cover FHEO staffing statistics, planned layoffs and restructuring efforts, the current number and status of pending fair housing complaints, the number of pending fair housing complaints that have been closed since Jan. 20, an explanation of DOGE’s activity at HUD, a copy of HUD’s proposed revisions to the Equal Access Rule, and a detailed plan for how HUD will enforce fair housing.
Turner’s refusal to answer the questions, attend an in-person briefing and uphold fair housing enforcement “will invite significant legal challenges,” the letter said.
“Soon there’ll be no enforcement,” Waters told The New York Times of the letter. “We really are going to go backward.”
Housing advocates said Turner and DOGE leader Elon Musk’s actions have already had an immediate impact, with local fair housing groups leaning on private donors to offset the funding gap.
“There aren’t a lot of other funding options for us in Indiana,” Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana Executive Director Amy Nelson told NYT. “We just don’t have alternatives.”
Even with the threat of legal recourse, HUD is remaining resolute.
HUD spokesperson Kasey Lovett told NYT that Waters and Warren’s letter is full of “false accusations.”
“[Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act] prohibits discrimination in HUD-assisted programs,” she said. “That is the law on the books, and HUD will enforce it to the highest standard.”
Editors Note: A previous version of this story listed Maxine Waters as a senator, which is incorrect. We’ve updated the story to her correct title.
