The Housing and Urban Development Department, headed by Secretary Ben Carson, is changing its mission statement by possibly removing words like "free from discrimination," and emphasizing "self-sufficiency," the Washington Post reports. The Post reports that career staff at the agency were not consulted.
Why it matters: HUD is responsible for ensuring equal access to housing. HUD spokesman Raffi Williams told the Post that the revised statement is a "modest" attempt clarify what the agency's work includes, but president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Diane Yentel, says it shows Carson doesn't "take discrimination in the housing market seriously."
- Per the Post, the new statement being proposed is: "HUD’s mission is to ensure Americans have access to fair, affordable housing and opportunities to achieve self-sufficiency, thereby strengthening our communities and nation.”
- Williams also told the Post that any mission statement from HUD "will embody the principle of fairness as a central element," and that the agency "will always be committed to ensuring inclusive housing, free from discrimination for all Americans."
- This change has reportedly been "in the works for a couple of months."
Go deeper: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is also planning to change its mission statement, excluding the phrase "a nation of immigrants."
