HUD Announces 491 Arrests in Yearlong Effort To Find Fugitives in Public Housing

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says it has helped apprehend almost 500 fugitives in a "multi-agency, multi-month law enforcement initiative" this year.

HUD said the operations included arrest of people living in public housing in a dozen cities including New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, and Columbus, with activities taking place throughout the year. In a statement, HUD Secretary Scott Turner cited HUD's other initiatives to root out what it calls fraud in public housing.

“We will not allow criminal predators and fraudsters to use HUD housing as a haven or live freely on the taxpayer’s dime,” Turner said in the statement.

HUD terms the program "Operation Clean House," and it has involved locating people with active warrants and who have been living in HUD-subsidized housing. Many of those arrested were currently living in HUD housing units, it said.

Turner said HUD's Office of Inspector General partnered with the U.S. Marshall Service and local and state law enforcement agencies to carry out the arrests.

Operations have taken place over the course of the year, including one in February that netted 16 fugitives in Minneapolis and one in Memphis with 24 arrests.

On X, Turner posted several examples of the arrests, including for outstanding warrants related to aggravated assault.

Other charges included kidnapping a minor, attempted murder, drug trafficking charges, assault, and burglary. HUD didn't share other details. HUD's OIG office says it also seized 10 firearms.

In the meantime, HUD's acting inspector general, Brian D. Harrison, said HUD is also using auditors and analysts to identify other kinds of misuse of public housing resources.

HUD cited its investigations of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, which is under fire for failure to account for some of the $1 billion in taxpayer money it has received in recent years. Los Angeles leaders have distanced themselves from that agency.

"Whether it is violent criminals hiding in HUD-assisted housing, fraudsters stealing taxpayer dollars, or weaknesses that leave federal housing programs vulnerable to abuse, we will use every authority and every tool available to protect these programs and the people they serve,” Harrison said in the statement.

Turner's management of HUD has itself drawn some controversy, with Democrats accusing the Trump administration of gutting the agency with job cuts while redirecting funds for homelessness programs, fair housing, and other services.

HUD has also taken aim at diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, announcing yesterday it would investigate Wells Fargo's race-based programs intended to boost Black homeownership.