Community Development

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Secretary Turner Denounces DEI Criteria in Asheville’s Draft Disaster Plan

On March 11, 2025,  the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner released the following statement after the City of Asheville, North Carolina posted a draft action plan on its website which included DEI criteria as part of how it intends to distribute millions of dollars for Hurricane Helene disaster relief. HUD will not approve the city’s draft action plan in its current form.  “HUD looks forward to helping thousands of North Carolinians rebuild after Hurricane Helene by directing funding assistance to impacted businesses, non-profit organizations and neighborhoods.  However, Asheville’s draft action plan incorporated DEI criteria to prioritize some impacted residents over others, which was unacceptable. After HUD informed Asheville that its plan was unsatisfactory and it would not be approved, the city assured us that it was updating its draft action plan to be compliant. “Once again, let me be clear DEI is dead at HUD. We will not provide funding to any program or grantee that does not comply with President Trump’s executive orders,” Secretary Scott Turner stated.  Click the title to learn more.

HUD’s Innovative Housing Showcase “The American Home is the American Dream” Returns to the National Mall 

On March 10, 2025, Secretary Scott Turner announced the return of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Innovative Housing Showcase from May 30 – June 1 to the National Mall in Washington, D.C.  This year’s showcase will highlight history-defining events in housing, the pride of achieving the American Dream of homeownership, and the future of housing innovation, in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) celebrating America’s 250^th Birthday.Established by EO, the Salute to America 250 Task Force will execute a year of celebratory festivities beginning Memorial Day, May 26, 2025 to the anniversary of the proclamation of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026. The annual public event raises awareness of innovative and affordable housing designs and technologies that have the potential to increase housing supply, reduce barriers to construction, and build for stability while reducing housing expenses for owners and renters. Interactive exhibits will include full-sized prototype homes and innovative building technologies. Click the title to learn more.

HUD Extends Foreclosure Relief to Californians Impacted by Los Angeles County Wildfires

On March 6, 2025, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is announced a 90-day extension of its foreclosure moratorium on Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured single family mortgages in the areas of Los Angeles County, California, devastated by the January 2025 wildfires.  HUD Secretary Scott Turner is making this announcement while touring a disaster zone in Altadena with Fifth District of Los Angeles Supervisor Kathryn Barger. The FHA-insured single family mortgage extension underscores HUD’s commitment to supporting Americans impacted by natural disasters by providing flexibility to families in the Presidentially Declared Major Disaster Area (PDMDA).  There are over 100,000 FHA-insured mortgages in Los Angeles County PDMDA. HUD is working with mortgage servicers and others to assess the extent of properties with FHA-insured mortgages in the designated area that have been severely damaged or destroyed.  Click the title to learn more.

HUD and Census Bureau Report New Residential Sales in January 2025

On March 4, 2025, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced jointly with the U.S. Census Bureau that sales of new single-family houses in January 2025 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 657,000, according to estimates. This is 10.5 percent (±19.9 percent)* below the revised December 2024 rate of 734,000 and is 1.1 percent (±15.3 percent)* below the January 2024 estimate of 664,000.  The median sales price of new houses sold in January 2025 was $446,300. This is 7.5 percent (±12.5 percent)* above the December 2024 median sales price of $415,000 and 3.7 percent (±11.4 percent)* above the January 2024 median sales price of $430,400. The average sales price of new houses sold in January 2025 was $510,000. This is 0.1 percent (± 9.2 percent)* above the December 2024 average sales price of $509,700 and is 3.4 percent (± 8.6 percent)* below the January 2024 average sales price of $527,800.”Click the title to learn more.

 On March 3 2025, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner joined ‘Kudlow’ to discuss the termination of the Obama-Biden Era Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule, and how this action will restore the American dream of homeownership. Click the title to learn more.