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U.S. Launches Federal Land Initiative to Address Housing Shortage

HUD and Interior Department announce task force to repurpose underutilized federal lands for affordable housing development.

U.S. President Donald Trump answers reporters' questions while hosting Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin in the Oval Office at the White House on March 12, 2025, in Washington, DC.
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The Interior Department and Department of Housing and Urban Development will partner to assess the nation’s housing needs and identify “underutilized” land suitable for development, the heads of the two agencies announced in a video. Seen here are Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, center, accompanied by U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg, left and Energy Secretary Chris Wright on March 13, 2025.(Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • The Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Interior (DOI) have established a task force to identify federal lands suitable for affordable housing projects.
  • The initiative aims to address the U.S. shortfall of 7 million affordable homes by focusing on lands near metropolitan areas with significant housing needs.
  • Regulatory processes, including environmental reviews and land transfer protocols, will be streamlined to expedite housing development.
  • The task force will collaborate with state and local governments to tailor housing programs to specific community needs while balancing environmental considerations.
  • This effort, described as one of the largest housing initiatives in U.S. history, builds on bipartisan interest in leveraging federal lands for residential development.