ABSTRACT

The notion is abroad in the land that HUD is peopled with incompetents and corruptibles. In truth, HUD has been headed up by a group of very distinguished and able Americans: Robert Weaver, Robert Wood, George Romney, James Lynn, Carla Hills, Patricia Roberts Harris, Moon Landrieu, Samuel Pierce, and Jack Kemp. From October 1984 to March 1989, 1,864 alleged perpetrators were indicted and there were 1,626 convictions of folks for their HUD related activities. When competition was removed from the market, it was placed in the halls of HUD. The story behind the headlines is that HUD when it acts in the housing area is involved in a negative-sum game. As a housing newsletter reports: Officials reconsider proposed rule for implementing a controversial 1989 HUD Reform Act provision after a Housing Affairs story reveals gag effect on HUD staff.