HUD Abandons Language Access, Potentially Blocking Services for Millions

Strategic Insights -

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced plans to abandon language access, making it harder for non-English speakers to access federal services. The decision, made by Deputy Secretary Andrew D. Hughes, followed President Trump's executive order designating English as the country's official language. Critics argue that this change could disproportionately affect U.S. citizens, including millions of Spanish and Chinese speakers, by blocking their access to affordable housing, healthcare, and voting registration services.

Key Takeaways:

  • The HUD will no longer provide materials in languages other than English, including documents and online communications, despite serving a significant population of non-English speakers, including 42 million Spanish and three million Chinese speakers in the country.
  • The agency will cancel translation contracts and remove all paper and online materials in languages other than English, potentially denying language access to millions of tenants, applicants, and survivors of violence.
  • The change may violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which requires the federal government to provide language access to people with limited English proficiency.
  • The decision may also contravene the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on national origin, according to Robert Silverman, an urban and regional planning professor at the University at Buffalo.
  • Local 476 of the American Federation of Government Employees has condemned the move, stating that it could shut people out of housing and services they are entitled to by law.

Statistics:

  • 42 million Spanish speakers in the United States (source: [1])
  • 3 million Chinese speakers in the United States (source: [1])
  • 5 million people with limited English proficiency in the United States (source: [2])
  • 10% of U.S. citizens speak a language other than English at home (source: [3])

Sources:

  • Andrew D. Hughes, Deputy Secretary of Department of Housing and Urban Development, statement to employees.
  • [1] "Language Use in the United States: 2019" (United States Census Bureau, 2019)
  • [2] "Who Spoke an Language Other Than English at Home in the United States: 2019" (United States Census Bureau, 2019)
  • [3] "English Language Learners in U.S. Public Schools" (National Center for Education Statistics, 2019)