U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge announced her resignation, effective March 22. Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman was named acting secretary. 

“It has always been my belief that government can and should work for the people,” Fudge said in an announcement. “For the last three years, I have fully embraced HUD’s mission to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. The people HUD serves are those who are often left out and left behind. These are my people. They serve as my motivation for everything we have been able to accomplish.” 

Before serving as HUD’s 18th secretary, Fudge represented Ohio’s 11th Congressional District, which covers parts of Cleveland and Akron, for 12 years. She also served as mayor of the Cleveland suburb Warrensville Heights. 

In her retirement announcement, which did not provide a reason for her departure, Fudge touted her accomplishments as secretary, which included helping more than two million families stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure, funding more than two million units of public housing and multifamily housing and reducing the mortgage insurance premium for FHA mortgages. 

“I thank President Biden for his confidence and trust in me to lead HUD in alignment with the Biden-Harris Administration priorities,” Fudge said. “As I transition to life as a public citizen, I will continue to do the work that I have been called to do.” 

Separately, President Biden praised Fudge’s term leading HUD. 

“Under Marcia’s transformational leadership, we have worked hard to lower housing costs and increase supply,” he said. “We’ve proposed the largest investment in affordable housing in U.S. history. …Thanks to Secretary Fudge, we’ve helped first-time homebuyers, and we are working to cut the cost of renting. And there are more housing units under construction right now than at any time in the last 50 years.”