Marcia Fudge announced she is stepping down as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, becoming only the second original member of Biden’s cabinet to depart.
Fudge said it was time to return home after accomplishing her goals at HUD.
“It’s time to go home,” Fudge said. “I do believe strongly that I have done just about everything I could do at HUD for this administration as we go into this crazy, silly season of an election.”
Biden praised Fudge’s leadership in expanding homeownership opportunities, lowering housing costs, and combating racial discrimination.
As HUD Secretary, Fudge oversaw the largest investment in affordable housing in U.S. history and measures to increase housing supply and rental fairness.
“From her time as a mayor, to her years as a fierce advocate in the U.S. House of Representatives, Marcia’s vision, passion, and focus on increasing economic opportunity have been assets to our country,” President Biden said. “I’m grateful for all of her contributions toward a housing system that works for all Americans, and I wish her well in her next chapter.”
Fudge is a “strong voice for expanding efforts to build generational wealth through homeownership and lowering costs and promoting fairness for America’s renters,” he said.
“Under Marcia’s transformational leadership, we have worked hard to lower housing costs and increase supply. We’ve proposed the largest investment in affordable housing in U.S. history,” Biden added.
“We’ve taken steps to aggressively combat racial discrimination in housing by ensuring home appraisals are more fair and by strengthening programs to redress the negative impacts of redlining. Thanks to Secretary Fudge, we’ve helped first-time homebuyers, and we are working to cut the cost of renting. And there are more housing units under construction right now than at any time in the last 50 years,” he said.
She had previously served as the first Black female mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio and as a Democratic congresswoman representing Cleveland.
At age 71, Fudge said she wants to spend more time with family in Ohio and does not plan to seek further elected office or appointments.
“Don’t look for me to ever be on another ballot or another appointee or anything like that,” Fudge said. “I really do look forward to being a private citizen.”
She argued affordable housing should unite Democrats and Republicans as an important American issue.
“It is not a red or blue issue,” Fudge said. “Everybody knows that it is an issue so it’s not a one-sided issue. It’s an American issue.”
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