HUD ANNOUNCES MAJOR RESTRUCTURE SHREVEPORT FIELD OFFICE ONE OF 16 TO CLOSE NATIONWIDE
Realignment to Streamline and Modernize the Department

NEW ORLEANS - Mark Brezina, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Acting Regional Administrator, announced the agency's small office in Shreveport will close as part of a realignment of staff resources to better support program delivery. Nationwide, HUD plans to close 16 of its 80 field offices, affecting approximately 120 employees. It is anticipated the offices will be closed by early fiscal year 2014. The move will result in meaningful administrative savings, anywhere from $110 to $150 million in lease and operating costs over a 10 year period.

"The closure plan provides for optimal use of HUD's human capital, better results for HUD customers, and greater efficiencies for American taxpayers," said Brezina. "Like families and businesses across the country, we cannot continue to operate like we did several decades ago. America has changed, communities have changed and we must change."

"We looked at where our staff needs to be in order to make certain we can achieve the greatest possible impact on the people and places we serve," said Pat Hoban-Moore, HUD's Assistant Deputy Secretary for Field Policy and Management. "We will implement this realignment without disrupting the program delivery networks currently serving communities throughout the nation."

"While these restructuring actions are personally difficult because of the impact on a very limited number of employees, they are necessary to improve execution and to the long term health of the Department," explained Brezina. "We are realigning HUD to deliver the best value to customers and taxpayers."

HUD will retain a large office in New Orleans, as well as its Fort Worth Regional Office. These staffs will work with HUD clients serviced by the closing office to ensure uninterrupted, quality service going forward.

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