It's Not Just HUD

There is considerable unease in the housing and community development world about the future of federal policy, including support for housing vouchers, fair housing, and other critical policies and programs. While the choice for secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) seems an odd, unqualified one, it may be the second-tier appointments that say more about the possibilities for benign or malign neglect at HUD going forward. But there are other appointments and other agencies that have serious implications for the future of housing and the economic prospects of neighborhoods and communities. Chief among these is the Department of the Treasury, arguably the single most important federal agency when it comes to shaping policies that affect the economic prospects of working families and communities.