Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, released this statement following news that Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary, Marcia Fudge, will be stepping down as HUD Secretary and retiring this month.

“Our country has benefited immensely from Secretary Fudge’s leadership at the helm of HUD, fighting to address our nation’s worsening housing and homelessness crisis. Over the last three years, Secretary Fudge has embodied the true definition of what it means to be an advocate and public servant, and while I had the great honor and privilege of witnessing it firsthand when she served as my colleague in the House for 12 years, there’s no greater example than the historic work she’s accomplished as HUD Secretary.

“After the disastrous tenure of HUD Secretary Ben Carson, America was in desperate need of housing leadership and Secretary Fudge met the challenge. Under her transformative leadership, HUD has administered historic levels of rental and homelessness assistance to communities across the country, helped advance the American dream of homeownership, and paved the way to reinstitute critical fair housing rules that were eliminated under the prior administration. Specifically, Secretary Fudge’s HUD has helped house and serve over 2.6 million people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness and helped over 1.8 million individuals become homeowners—representing a 23-year record level of first-time homebuyers.

“Demonstrating her commitment to the people and families HUD serves, Secretary Fudge visited communities across the country to see firsthand the challenges of the worsening affordable housing and homelessness crisis, and to highlight the successes of HUD programs in helping to alleviate that crisis at the local level. Secretary Fudge is leaving an impactful legacy as a leader who fought tirelessly to improve access to safe, fair, and affordable housing. With so much work left to do, Committee Democrats look forward to working with Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman and the entire Biden-Harris Administration to continue this important work.”

[Ranking Member Maxine Waters and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary, Marcia Fudge] 

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