The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is in search of a smaller, more cost-effective headquarters, aligning with the Trump administration’s initiative to reduce federal workforce size and office space. Currently housed in a 1968 building in Washington, D.C., which requires over $500 million in maintenance, HUD staff only occupy half of the available space. The agency aims to relocate to lessen the financial burden on taxpayers.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner described the current Brutalist building as “the ugliest in D.C.” and emphasized the agency’s commitment to efficiency and accountability. The agency did not disclose the asking price for the building. The cost-cutting team DOGE, led by Elon Musk, plans to reduce HUD staff by half, as outlined in an internal document obtained by NPR.
The HUD headquarters, known as the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building, is now on the market, despite its listing in the National Register of Historic Places, posing potential complications. While the timeline and new location are undecided, HUD expressed a priority for remaining in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
President Trump recently granted federal agencies more flexibility to choose locations outside city centers, rescinding previous orders that favored business districts and historic properties. This shift aims to enable agencies to operate from more cost-effective facilities and be closer to the populace.
