As rounds of government layoffs continue, the Trump administration is slashing jobs and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) seeks to cut federal costs, and focus has turned to those agencies that oversee the housing market.
According to Yahoo!, Freddie Mac CEO Diana Reid, Head of Human Resources Dionne Wallace Oakley, and EVP of Corporate Strategy and External Affairs Craig Phillips were let go Thursday, as well as Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) COO Gina Cross, FHFA Human Resources Director Monica Matthews, and FHFA’s Office of Congressional Affairs and Communications Antonio White were placed on leave.
Mike Hutchins, current President of Freddie Mac, has been named Interim CEO after Reid’s dismissal. Hutchins is a member of Freddie Mac’s Board of Directors and the company’s Senior Operating Committee.
These executive cuts come as the Trump administration considers privatizing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, both entities which have been under conservatorship since September 2008.
William Pulte, confirmed as Director of the FHFA just last week, continues to take action by streamlining the agencies that oversee the nation’s near $50 trillion housing market through layoffs, dismissals, and office closures.
News outlet Government Executive reports that the FHFA placed approximately 60 employees from its Research and Statistics Division on administrative leave earlier this week. In addition, Government Executive reports that the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development is in the process of shuttering its Office of Field Policy and Management. According to the report, HUD has notified the American Federation of Government Employees Council that it plans to reduce its staff by nearly 150 employees.
“To steal a line from the film Bull Durham, Bill Pulte has announced his presence with authority,” said Tim Rood, Founder & CEO Impact Capitol. “It is easy to speculate what caused the shakeup at the BODs of the GSEs and Freddie Mac’s management team. What we do know is that the Trump administration has big plans for the GSEs. And that a shake-up of the BODs and leadership could be just a matter of wanting to place people in key roles to minimize the resistance to changes that are warming up in the bullpen.”
Congressional Pushback
As HUD plans to shut down field offices nationwide, this news has been met with Congressional opposition, as Rep. Summer Lee this week led members of a Pennsylvania delegation, local elected officials and leaders, and advocates in calling on HUD to keep the Pittsburgh Field Office open. At a press conference, Rep. Lee unveiled a letter written to HUD Secretary Scott Turner outlining strong opposition to proposals to close the field office, including all other offices in 33 states.
“For months, my office has been in close contact with the Pittsburgh Field Office to address life-threatening conditions in federally-assisted properties in PA-12. Countless families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities in my district and beyond rely on HUD to ensure they have safe, healthy, and habitable housing. Closing this office would be nothing short of devastating,” said Rep. Lee. “This administration claims to care about working families and people but closing this office, slashing the federal workforce, and maintaining a hiring freeze would be detrimental for tenants and housing authorities alike. Systemic failures require oversight; HUD must keep its field offices open to address them.”
Rep. Lee serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Committee on Education and the Workforce.
“I strongly oppose any proposal to close the Pittsburgh Field Office and other regional HUD offices across the country,” added Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey. These offices are vital lifelines for communities, particularly for vulnerable populations like families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities who depend on HUD programs for safe, stable housing. Closing these offices would create a dangerous gap in housing oversight, leaving thousands of residents at risk and allowing negligent landlords to evade accountability. We urge HUD to reverse this decision and recognize the critical role local offices play in ensuring fair housing, revitalizing communities, and protecting the most vulnerable among us.”
The letter was signed by Reps. Chris Deluzio, Chrissy Houlahan, Mary Gay Scanlon, Madeleine Dean, Dwight Evans, and Brendan F. Boyle.
“Our regional HUD office plays a crucial role in administering millions in federal funds that all 130 municipalities in Allegheny County rely on for affordable housing, critical municipal and infrastructure improvements, and business and workforce development programs,” said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. “Closing the Pittsburgh office would create significant barriers to accessing vital resources, jeopardizing our ability to effectively address housing needs and to invest in the health and safety of our communities. Without direct assistance from the regional office, communities will be without the necessary technical assistance and regulatory guidance to advance projects. We need to be investing in affordable housing and our communities now more than ever, not pulling back.”
Click here for a copy of the letter to HUD Secretary Scott Turner.
