As Trump jettisons its staff, HUD puts its D.C. headquarters up for sale

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is looking for a smaller, cheaper building for its headquarters. It’s part of a larger Trump administration push to shrink not only the number of federal employees, but also the office spaces where they work.

In announcing the plan, the agency said its 1968 building in Washington, D.C., currently faces over $500 million in deferred “maintenance and modernization.” It said current staff occupy only half the space and that relocating will “reduce the burden on the American taxpayer.”

HUD Secretary Scott Turner has also called the massive, curved Brutalist structure “the ugliest building in D.C.

“HUD’s focus is on creating a workplace that reflects the values of efficiency, accountability, and purpose,” Turner said in a statement. “We’re committed to rightsizing government operations … to deliver results for the American people.”

The agency did not say how much it’s asking for the building.

DOGE, the cost-cutting team overseen by billionaire Elon Musk, has targeted cutting HUD staff by half, according to an internal document seen by NPR.

HUD headquarters, formally called the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building, is now up for sale, although that could be complicated by its listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The agency said a timeline and final location are not yet set, but that “the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area remains a top priority.”

HUD headquarters is near a busy metro stop in downtown D.C. But this week, President Trump gave federal agencies more flexibility to locate outside of city centers. He revoked two previous orders, by Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, that had encouraged agencies to locate in business districts and historic properties.

Trump’s order said those past measures “prevented agencies from relocating to lower-cost facilities,” and that agencies “must be where the people are.”

 

Trump to rescind ‘Roadless Rule’ which protects 58 million acres of forest land

Speaking in New Mexico, President Trump's Secretary of Agriculture announced her intention to roll back a landmark 2001 conservation rule passed in the late hour of the Clinton administration.

Does Congress or the president hold war powers? Here’s what to know

President Trump's decision to launch airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities without first consulting Congress has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers who say the move bypasses their constitutional authority to declare war.

U.S. Supreme Court allows — for now — third-country deportations

A federal judge had previously said people must get at least 15 days to challenge their deportations to countries they're not originally from.

Democratic senators rent space at the Kennedy Center to host a Pride event

A group of Democratic senators and Hamilton producer Jeffrey Seller are hosting a Pride celebration at the Kennedy Center Monday evening. But the Kennedy Center has nothing to do with programming it.

What to know about Jeff Bezos’ upcoming Venice wedding — and the protests against it

Bezos will soon marry Lauren Sánchez in Venice. Protesters say the city, already grappling with overtourism, is putting the wedding over their needs — which city officials and wedding organizers deny.

Emmy nominations voting ends tonight. Here’s what our critic hopes will make the cut

Emmy voters have until tonight to send in their picks for nominees. Here's what NPR TV critic Eric Deggans thinks they should be voting for.

More Front Page Coverage