Benjamin DeMarzo was confirmed by the Senate as Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations at HUD.
Go Deeper: A recently passed rules change allows confirmation of nominees to be done “en bloc consideration.” DeMarzo was confirmed along with 47 other nominees.
DeMarzo’s background can be found in our June 18 edition along with a summary of his nomination hearing held on June 12.
HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R), announced a new funding opportunity, offering up to $3 million for jurisdictions that will deploy automated building code permitting systems and partner with HUD to evaluate their applicability and effectiveness within real-world operating conditions. In Context: This funding opportunity follows the release of the the State and Local […]
HUD issued an interim final rule, eliminating the requirement for large multifamily projects (200+ units) to submit environmental reviews to Field Environmental Clearance Office (FECO) or Program Environmental Clearance Office (PECO). The agency cites reduced processing delays and duplication, noting the step can slow projects with tight closing timelines despite existing technical assistance. Why This Matters: […]
HUD announced a new $4.04 billion Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) through the Continuum of Care (CoC) homelessness assistance program. What They’re Saying: Secretary Scott Turner stated upon release: “The ‘housing first’ experiment failed Americans by warehousing the vulnerable without results. This ideology promised to end homelessness. Instead, billions of taxpayer dollars were spent while […]
HUD released Part 1 of the Annual Homelessness Report for 2025 on Friday, ending a monthslong battle over the delayed report. By the Numbers: What They’re Saying: Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, celebrated the results, but warned that anti-homelessness efforts are still insufficient: “These reductions are a relief, but make […]