HUD announced its first-ever Latino Task Force to tackle disparities in housing, procurement, and hiring practices that impact the Hispanic and Latino communities. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) officially announced its Inaugural Latino Task Force, aligning with a federal Executive Order from September 2021 designed to advance educational and economic opportunities for Hispanics. The task force will focus on lowering barriers to federal procurement, boosting Latino employment at HUD, and enhancing Spanish-language access across HUD services.
"If we want to see a meaningful impact on policies, there need to be people at the table with the lived experience that can influence those decisions," said Elizabeth de Leon Bhargava, HUD's Assistant Secretary for Administration, who led the task force's inaugural meeting. Over 20 HUD employees participated in the meeting.
The need for the task force is underscored by 2020 Census data indicating that Hispanics make up 19% of the U.S. population but are underrepresented in the federal workforce. Specifically, only 9% of HUD's Civilian Labor Force identifies as Latino or Hispanic.
HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge expressed admiration for the department's Hispanic colleagues and their efforts in forming the inaugural Latino Task Force. "It is my honor to serve alongside talented, unique, and hard-working public servants of all backgrounds, including the Latino community," Fudge said. "I am in awe of the work our Hispanic colleagues have done to create the inaugural Latino Task Force, a group that will bring us closer to accomplishing our agency's pledge to equity, inclusion, and diversity."
The initiative is particularly timely given that Hispanic households are twice as likely to experience inadequate housing compared to non-Hispanics.
