Legal Definitions - HUD

HUD stands for the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

HUD is a principal agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for national policies and programs that address housing needs, promote community development, and ensure fair housing opportunities. Its mission encompasses a broad range of activities, including increasing access to affordable housing for lower and middle-income families, reducing homelessness, and enforcing laws that prevent discrimination in housing.

The Department achieves its goals through various initiatives, such as:

• Providing financial assistance for housing, including rental subsidies like the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8).
• Offering grants to communities for development projects, infrastructure improvements, and specific housing needs through programs like Community Development Block Grants (CDBG).
• Insuring mortgages and loans through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to make homeownership more accessible.
• Investigating and prosecuting violations of the Fair Housing Act and other anti-discrimination laws in housing.

Here are some examples illustrating HUD's role:

• Example 1: Supporting Affordable Housing for Families

  A single parent working part-time jobs struggles to afford a safe, decent apartment for their two children in a city with rising rents. They apply for and are approved to receive a Housing Choice Voucher (often called Section 8) through their local public housing authority. This voucher, funded and overseen by HUD, helps cover a significant portion of their monthly rent, allowing them to secure an apartment that fits their budget and provides a stable home for their family.

  This example demonstrates HUD's role in providing direct rental assistance to low-income individuals and families, making housing more accessible and preventing homelessness through programs like the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

• Example 2: Community Revitalization and Development

  A small, economically struggling town wants to revitalize its downtown area. Their plan includes renovating several vacant commercial buildings into mixed-use spaces, with affordable apartments on upper floors and small businesses on the ground level, along with improving public sidewalks and street lighting. The town successfully applies for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from HUD. This grant provides crucial funding that enables the town to begin these revitalization projects, creating jobs, improving local infrastructure, and increasing housing options for its residents.

  This illustrates HUD's function in supporting local community development and urban renewal efforts through grants, which can transform neighborhoods and provide essential services and housing.

• Example 3: Enforcing Fair Housing Laws

  A prospective tenant who uses a wheelchair is told by a landlord that an available apartment is "not suitable" for them, despite the apartment being on the ground floor and the tenant offering to pay for minor modifications for accessibility. Believing they are being discriminated against based on their disability, the tenant files a complaint with HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. HUD investigates the complaint, mediates with the landlord, and, if necessary, takes enforcement action to ensure the landlord complies with the Fair Housing Act.

  This example highlights HUD's critical responsibility in investigating and enforcing fair housing laws, ensuring that individuals are not denied housing opportunities due due to discrimination based on protected characteristics like disability.