Whitney Airgood-Obrycki

Brain drain at Census Bureau has employees warning about the country's statistics Staff departures and survey cuts are roiling the federal agency in charge of producing census results, job numbers and other key statistics as Trump officials continue to slash the U.S. government.

Staff departures and survey cuts are roiling the federal agency in charge of producing census results, job numbers and other key statistics as Trump officials continue to slash the U.S. government.
From @hansilowang.bsky.social

White House Eyes Overhaul of Federal Housing Aid to the Poor The Trump administration has considered sharply curtailing vouchers as part of its budget for the 2026 fiscal year.

NEW: The White House is preparing a budget that could include deep cuts to federal housing funds, and a reconfiguration of housing vouchers/Section 8 that may result in low-income families losing aid. Many told me the details are hazy, but the result is fewer dollars www.nytimes.com/2025/04/17/u...

DOGE Places Entire Staff of Federal Homelessness Agency on Leave The US Interagency Council on Homelessness, which helps coordinate federal housing aid to cities, was targeted for elimination by a Trump executive order in March.

New from me: DOGE just put the entire staff on leave at the federal agency that coordinates US homelessness response.

The agency's new leader is the same DOGE software engineer who now serves as the director of the US Institute for Peace: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

as housing materials and construction costs go up, ALL homeowners can expect to see home #insurance rates go up — as insurers link it to the costs of repairs

Personally I think I could manage 15 minutes before I need to sit down and/or pee

Home energy assistance program gutted in HHS mass firings The Department of Health and Human Services is the latest victim of the Trump administration’s dismantling of the federal government.

The entire staff of the low income home energy assistance program was fired today www.latitudemedia.com/news/home-en...

both of you should write books that i can buy and read!!

Cuts to HUD are cuts to homes In this time of uncertainty, my thoughts turn to all that’s at stake for Minnesotans and others.

HUD's work profoundly affects people’s lives: HUD backs loans for homes, apartments, and nursing homes, helps seniors and people with disabilities on fixed incomes stay in their homes, finances new affordable buildings, helps prevent discrimination, and more.

www.startribune.com/cuts-to-hud-...

Today @ 1:30 pm ET: The number of cost-burdened renter households has reached a new record high. @airbrycki.bsky.social will discuss persistent disparities in who experiences cost burdens and the urgent need for policies to tackle these challenges.

us7.campaign-archive.com?e=__test_ema...

Advocates warn that cuts to HUD will worsen the housing crisis Advocates warn that deep cuts at the Department of Housing and Urban Development will make the housing crisis worse. Congressional Democrats want more details on what DOGE has done and what it plans.

Housing advocates question Elon Musk’s power, and warn that deep cuts at HUD would have ripple effects in the private market, too. www.npr.org/2025/03/04/n...

New map (bottom) just arrived in my office!

Mass Deportations Would Worsen Our Housing Crisis Mass deportations would reduce the construction labor force, which is highly dependent on immigrant workers, exacerbating the US housing crisis—but some states are more at risk than others.

According to an Urban #analysis, immigrants made up more than 23% of the construction workforce in 2023.

Learn more about the role of #immigrant workers in housing markets and how deportation-induced labor shortages in construction could worsen the #housing shortage in a new Urban Wire post.

Trump administration plans mass firing at office that funds homelessness programs Staffing at the HUD office that pays for housing and support services across the country is slated to be cut by 84%. Advocates warn such heavy cuts could make record-high homelessness even worse.

At a time of record-high homelessness, DOGE wants to gut staff at the office that does the most to prevent it. www.npr.org/2025/02/22/g...

HUD cuts expected to worsen America’s housing crisis, staffers say The Department of Housing and Urban Development is expected to be slashed in half, according to an internal memo obtained by The Washington Post.

Major cuts planned for HUD will cause major disruptions in the housing market and slow housing production = ⬆️ housing prices

Trump administration looks to slash HUD workers tackling the housing crisis The Trump administration’s proposal to layoff half of federal workers at the nation’s housing agency is targeting employees who support disaster recovery, rental subsidies, discrimination investigatio...

Massive HUD cuts could mean working tenants and families lose their homes. NHLP executive director @shamusroller.bsky.social discussed the potential fallout for tenants with @apnews.com.

My lab group is doing a research study on cargo bike users in North America. If you are a cargo bike user and have a minute to take the survey we'd love to hear from you. Or please feel free to share or repost for other cargo bike users. Many thanks! pennstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Almost 600,000 people are supported by HUD affordable housing programs in Texas. Cities, towns, and counties throughout the state receive hundreds of millions of dollars each year in Community Development Block Grants.

In Mississippi, federal housing programs support 105,758 people and 53,157 households. These programs support people across all of Mississippi's Congressional districts. Overall, HUD's programs distribute more than $400 million annually into Mississippi alone.

HUD programs support more than 5 million low-income households. They're now under threat of big cuts.

Our new data tool @urbaninstitute.bsky.social provides detailed info about people supported by HUD programs—and funds received—in every state & Congressional district: www.urban.org/data-tools/f...

my kids are afraid of dogs but when they see dogs in coats it makes their day! and this would be the cutest armadillo to meet on a walk!

Congrats!!!

thanks for posting it, yonah!!

Rental deserts, segregation, and zoning Restrictive zoning and NIMBY attitudes have left nearly a third of neighborhoods across the United States with few options for renters. The concentration of rental housing in some neighborhoods and...

Useful new paper from @airbrycki.bsky.social et al examining the location of "rental deserts" throughout the country—areas with a low share of rental housing.

Their work shows that the existence of these "deserts" increases segregation. Restrictive land use policies are associated w rental deserts.

HUD employees are bracing for what they hear will be 'drastic' staff cuts As federal layoffs mount, sources say the Trump administration plans a 50% staffing cut at the federal housing agency. The moves come amid an affordable housing shortage and record high homelessness.

More on what's happening now at HUD and what employees are being told to expect. www.npr.org/2025/02/14/g...

HUD staffers reporting “pauses” on grant funding. These funds help #unhoused people , cities rebuild communities, and support increasing housing supply. All pieces needed for strong communities.

This is the exact OPPOSITE of what gov’t should be doing.

t.co/D91FHeUVKT

So, #cambma just now adopted its citywide multifamily housing zoning petitions (two of them). For details, see: www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/Projects...

Adopted and ordained by a vote of 8-1, CZ in opposition.

If I just read one million more posts tonight, I will have complete control over what comes next

basket of a bikeshare bike going down a bike lane that is pre-treated for a winter storm

quick errand by bluebike before the rain/sleet/snow started. nice to see the little bobcat plows out prepping the bike lanes!

How the Los Angeles Fires Are Compounding the Risk of Homelessness The devastating effects of the fires in Los Angeles pose larger health risks to people experiencing unsheltered homelessness and could put more people at risk of homelessness.

The crisis of the catastrophic fires in Los Angeles has compounded the ongoing housing crisis and increased risks to people experiencing homelessness.

Explore how the disaster puts more people at risk of homelessness and how to address upcoming challenges in a new Urban Wire post.

added emojis to all of the data checks in my current project... completely unnecessary, completely delightful. here for the simple joys these days. #rstats (🤓, which means the merge worked. good job, happy nerd.)

To all saying they’re sorry I’m being forced to prove myself or mad I’m a bad example/enabling a bs system:

Appreciate the good intentions, but once again—let every woman make decisions for her own body & family.

AND all should have the legal right & financial resources to make actual decisions.