HUD offices largely desolate under Biden admin
The Housing and Urban Development (HUD) headquarters in Washington, D.C., has been a vacant and desolate space resembling an off-season “Spirit Halloween” store as employees have been working from home under the Biden administration, leaving offices relatively untouched since the first Trump administration, according to Fox News Digital.
A senior Trump administration official expressed their dismay at the state of government buildings, likening them to massive, taxpayer-funded “Spirit Halloween” stores that only come to life during specific times of the year. The HUD offices, housed in the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building, are designed to accommodate up to 6,015 people, but only 3,002 desks and offices were set up during the Biden administration. The average number of employees working in the building during 2023 and 2024 was a mere 705.
The operating costs for the Weaver building in fiscal year 2024 amounted to $111,978,115 in combined rent and operating expenses. A photo taken in the HUD office in 2025 revealed an employee’s business card that had been left untouched on a whiteboard since the first Trump administration, highlighting the lack of activity in the office.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, who took office in February, expressed his commitment to ending what he called a “four-year vacation” under the Biden administration. Turner emphasized the importance of in-person collaboration and teamwork to ensure accountability and efficiency in serving the American people.
In line with President Donald Trump’s directive to return to in-person work, HUD has implemented a phased approach to bring employees back to the office. Turner also launched a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) task force, led by Elon Musk, to identify and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse within the agency. The task force has already uncovered $1.9 billion in misplaced HUD funds and has released them to the U.S. Treasury.
Turner reiterated his commitment to responsible spending and efficient service delivery, noting that the DOGE task force has already identified over $260 million in savings. With a focus on eliminating waste and serving communities effectively, HUD is poised to make significant strides under Turner’s leadership.
By prioritizing accountability, collaboration, and efficiency, HUD aims to better serve the American people and ensure that taxpayer dollars are used wisely and effectively.
