We initiated this evaluation at the request of Senator Mike Enzi.  During this evaluation, we reviewed HUD’s housing assistance programs based on their purpose, types of assistance, and eligible participants.  This report also includes the 5-year funding history for each HUD program office that administers housing assistance programs.

Part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) mission is to create quality, affordable homes for all.  To achieve this portion of its mission, HUD administers 73 housing assistance programs that promote home ownership, provide rental assistance, and support public housing.  Since its creation in 1965, HUD has provided affordable housings to low-income families and individuals through its housing assistance programs.  Six HUD program offices administer 73 active housing assistance programs.  These offices are the Office of Housing (Housing), the Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD), the Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH), the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO), the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), and the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH).  Of the 73 active housing assistance programs, 23 programs provide home-ownership assistance, 28 programs provide rental housing assistance, and 22 programs provide both types of housing assistance.  There are no specific areas of significant program overlap across HUD’s 73 active housing assistance programs. 

From fiscal year (FY) 2014 to FY 2018, Congress appropriated approximately $257.90 billion to HUD’s housing assistance programs.  Within HUD, PIH received the most funding for housing assistance-related programs – approximately 53 percent of all appropriated funds for the period FY 2014 to FY 2018.  Ginnie Mae received the least funding – less than 1 percent of all appropriated funds.