The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Thursday released its first ever Equity Action Plan in coordination with the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government equity agenda.
“Equity is central to HUD’s founding principles and the daily work we do as a Department,” said Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “We are excited to take this opportunity to join the rest of the federal government in emphasizing our commitment to making equity a leading compass within this Administration.”
On his first day in office, President Biden signed Executive Order 13985 on “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,” directing the federal government to pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all. In response to the President’s directive, HUD commenced a Department-wide plan, which included actions to reduce the racial homeownership gap and center equity in the delivery of services to people experiencing homelessness.
The decision to focus on homeownership reflected several priorities, such as the need to address a history of racial discrimination in federal programs – as reflected in the President’s Memorandum on Redressing Our Nation’s and the Federal Government’s History of Discriminatory Housing Practices and Policies –; the Federal Housing Administration’s role in supporting homeownership for first-time buyers; and the importance of homeownership for wealth building amongst all communities.
The Department is also focusing on advancing equity in its delivery of homelessness assistance programs. The Plan emphasizes how homelessness is experienced in cities, suburbs, rural areas, and tribal lands; across races and ethnicities; by individuals and families; young and old; male, female, transgender, and gender non-conforming. Even within homeless populations, some groups are less likely to have safe access to homeless shelters, and some are likely to experience homelessness for more extended periods.
HUD’s Equity Action Plan is one of many steps HUD has taken to reiterate its commitment to advancing equity for all communities across the nation. The Equity Action plan, completed in collaboration with the White House, provided an opportunity to dive into a handful of areas that contributed to the agency’s work on the strategic plan, which has equity as an underlining principle.
Learn more about HUD’s Equity Action Plan at HUD.gov/equity.
Learn more about the Administration’s Equity Agenda at WhiteHouse.gov/equity.