Jennifer Ludden

HUD proposes time limits and work requirements for rental aid The rule would allow housing agencies and landlords to impose such requirements "to encourage self-sufficiency." Critics say most who can work already do, but their wages are low.

Rental aid could be limited to only two years under HUD’s proposed rule. www.npr.org/2026/02/27/n...

Refugees relive the trauma they fled as ICE targets them in Minnesota The Trump administration says it's reviewing thousands of cases to look for potential fraud. A judge ordered a temporary pause, saying refugees cannot be arrested "without warrants or cause."

Before the memo, ICE started arresting refugees in Minnesota, saying it wanted to look for potential fraud... www.npr.org/2026/02/02/n...

Refugees in the U.S. could be arrested under a new immigration memo The move is another Trump administration effort to limit legal pathways to migration or resettlement, after already curbing the number of admitted refugees and re-reviewing those admitted under the Bi...

Refugees are vetted for years before being allowed into the U.S., but a new DHS memo spells out how those who've not yet gotten a green card can now be arrested, story by @ximenabustillo.bsky.social detained.https://www.npr.org/2026/02/19/g-s1-110721/trump-administration-refugees-memo-arrest

HUD rule could push families with undocumented immigrants out of their homes A proposed rule could put nearly 80,000 people at risk of eviction, many of them U.S. citizen children. Undocumented immigrants don't get rental aid but can currently live with family members who do.

HUD again wants to ban mixed-status immigrant families from subsidized housing, something it first proposed in Trump's first term. This time it's part of a much broader immigration crackdown. www.npr.org/2026/02/19/n...

Refugees in the U.S. could be arrested under new immigration memo The move is another Trump administration effort to limit legal pathways to migration or resettlement, after already curbing the number of admitted refugees and re-reviewing those admitted under the Biden administration.

The move is another Trump administration effort to limit legal pathways to migration or resettlement, after already curbing the number of admitted refugees and re-reviewing those admitted under the Biden administration. n.pr/3OwA9Sb

Wall Street-backed landlords a target for both Trump and Democrats Like President Trump, lawmakers around the U.S. blame corporate homebuyers for high prices and want to restrict them. Experts say it's not so simple, and passing laws has proved difficult.

Like President Trump, lawmakers around the U.S. blame corporate homebuyers for high prices and want to restrict them. Experts say it's not so simple, and passing laws has proved difficult. n.pr/45muPGK

For those who help the poor, 2025 goes down as a year of chaos Local anti-poverty groups have had to scramble and scale back this year as the Trump administration targeted safety-net programs. They are bracing for what may come next.

Helping poor people got harder this year amid the Trump administration's cutbacks and funding chaos. www.npr.org/2025/12/19/n...

Judge blocks HUD homelessness overhaul, rebukes agency for causing 'chaos' A federal judge said HUD cannot dramatically change its funding policies on homelessness for now. States, cities and nonprofits say the proposed overhaul would push thousands back onto the streets.

www.npr.org/2025/12/19/n...

'Uncharted territory': Ongoing shutdown threatens food aid for 42 million people SNAP, the country's largest anti-hunger program, dates back to the Great Depression and has never been disrupted this way. Most recipients are seniors, families with kids, and those with disabilities.

SNAP, the country's largest anti-hunger program, dates back to the Great Depression and has never been disrupted this way. Most recipients are seniors, families with kids, and those with disabilities. n.pr/48PNNIt

An unusual 'village' aims to help people leave long-term homelessness for good Chronic homelessness is at a record high, but there's a shortage of housing, rehab and mental health treatment. One ambitious program in Utah is finding a way to offer all that plus jobs.

Chronic homelessness is at a record high, but there's a shortage of housing, rehab and mental health treatment. This ambitious program in Utah is finding a way to provide all that. @npr.org
www.npr.org/2025/10/06/n...

The federal shutdown puts nutrition aid for millions of new parents at risk Nearly seven million pregnant women and young children depend on WIC for healthy foods. Advocates say funding could run out in about two weeks, leaving states to close the gap if their budgets allow.

This could be the first safety net program hit by the federal shutdown.

www.npr.org/2025/10/02/n...

Starter homes are scarce, so Utah set a target to build more. Here's how it's going In one of the country's priciest housing markets, Utah's leaders worry young people are shut out from building wealth. But despite new incentives, few developers are signing on to build smaller homes.

In one of the country's priciest housing markets, Utah's leaders worry young people are shut out from building wealth. But despite new incentives, few developers are signing on to build smaller homes.

Latino residents of D.C. neighborhood feel they are paying the price for Trump's "crime emergency" Residents say they support the goal of reducing violent crime. But after seeing teams of federal agents sweep in to arrest people off the street some are afraid to venture outside.

Latino residents in DC told me they welcome a crackdown on crime, but are upset at seeing people snatched off the streets.

www.npr.org/2025/08/22/n...

Should federal rental aid come with a time limit? Here's how it works in one place The Trump administration wants to allow a cutoff date for housing subsidies. The plan is deeply controversial, but Delaware offers a potential model for success.

The Trump administration wants to allow time limits on rental aid. A few places can do that already and the track record is mixed. www.npr.org/2025/06/07/n...

My story on big changes for rental aid on the works.

Trump fires all 3 Democrats on the Consumer Product Safety Commission The Consumer Product Safety Commission works to protect Americans from dangerous products and issuing recalls and warnings. It's the latest attempt by Trump to exact control over independent agencies.

The Democratic members of an independent agency dedicated to protecting Americans from dangerous products and issuing recalls and safety warnings were fired by President Trump via an overnight email.

Trump tightens control of independent agency overseeing nuclear safety NPR has learned that rules must now be vetted by the White House and that the administration is drafting an executive order that could loosen radiation limits.

The Trump administration has tightened its control over the independent agency responsible for overseeing America's nuclear reactors, and it is considering an executive order that could further erode its autonomy.

@gbrumfiel.bsky.social scoops: www.npr.org/2025/05/09/n...

Americans still dream about factory jobs. Can they be brought back? Trump's administration said they want tariffs to boost US manufacturing, and most Americans want more factory jobs here. But what makes us nostalgic for factory work?

Trump's administration said they want tariffs to boost U.S. manufacturing, and most Americans want more factory jobs here. But what makes us nostalgic for factory work?

USDA, DOGE demand states hand over personal data about food stamp recipients The Department of Agriculture is demanding sensitive data from states about more than 40 million food stamp recipients, as DOGE is amassing data for immigration enforcement.

big scoop from @jjoffeblock.bsky.social + @stphnfwlr.com: USDA is demanding states hand over personal data of SNAP recipients — including SSNs, addresses & citizenship status. Advocates worry the data could be used to enable deportation & mass surveillance.

www.npr.org/2025/05/09/n...

Federal judge appears likely to temporarily halt Trump's sweeping government overhaul A federal judge in San Francisco appeared ready to temporarily block the Trump administration's sweeping overhaul of the federal government.

A federal judge in San Francisco appeared ready to temporarily block the Trump administration's sweeping overhaul of the federal government.

Trump's gutting of AmeriCorps hits hard, for both volunteers and communities The Trump administration slashed funding for the national service agency and fired most of its staff. 32,000 people, mostly young adults, were forced to stop work immediately.

Among the many whose lives have been disrupted by Trump administration cuts, young adults who’d chosen community service.

www.npr.org/2025/05/09/n...

Trump budget would slash rental aid by 40% -- and let states fill the gap if they want The proposal would cut off rental subsidies after two years for able-bodied adults. Advocates warn if enacted, the White House plan would tip many low-income renters over the edge into homelessness.

Congress will decide. But housing aid takes a major hit in the White House budget request. www.npr.org/2025/05/02/n...

Federal work shaped a Black middle class. Now it's destabilized by Trump's job cuts For generations of Black workers, federal government jobs have provided a path into the middle class. The Trump administration's workforce cuts are now throwing that sense of stability up in the air.

My latest @npr.org story with Marisa Peñaloza, Kyna Uwaeme and Brent Jones:

For generations of Black workers, federal government jobs have provided a path into the middle class. The Trump administration’s workforce cuts are now throwing that sense of stability up in the air

Hundreds of scholars say U.S. is swiftly heading toward authoritarianism Most — but not all — political scientists are deeply troubled by the president's attempts to expand executive power, according to a national survey.

A survey of more than 500 political scientists finds that the vast majority think the United States is moving swiftly from liberal democracy toward some form of authoritarianism.
"We've slid into some form of authoritarianism," -- Steven Levitsky, Harvard.

www.npr.org/2025/04/22/n...

With CDC injury prevention team gutted, 'we will not know what is killing us' Workers who track data on car crashes, drownings, traumatic brain injury, falls in the elderly, and other perils lost their jobs. Advocates worry life-saving work will stop.

Workers who track data on car crashes, drownings, traumatic brain injury, falls in the elderly, and other perils lost their jobs. Advocates worry life-saving work will stop.

Need Earth Day optimism? Here are some environmental do-gooders in your backyard At a time when communities feel fractured, here's a look at online communities taking a pragmatic approach to changing the world for the better.

Need Earth Day optimism? Here are some environmental do-gooders in your backyard

Trump’s War on Measurement Means Losing Data on Drug Use, Maternal Mortality, Climate Change and More By slashing teams that gather critical data, the administration has left the federal government with no way of understanding if policies are working — and created a black hole of information whose con...

NEW: In agency after agency, the U.S. government is losing its capacity to measure how American society is functioning, making it much harder to gauge the nature and scale of the problems we are facing and the effectiveness of policies.

By @alecmac.bsky.social

As Trump jettisons its staff, HUD puts its D.C. headquarters up for sale The federal housing agency says its 1968 building faces more than $500 million in deferred maintenance. It also says current staff take up only half the space.

HUD is looking for a smaller, cheaper headquarters building, part of a wider push to shrink federal real estate. www.npr.org/2025/04/17/n...

Trump administration has gutted an agency that coordinates homelessness policy All staff were put on leave at the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. Congress created the entity in 1987 and, among other things, it helped drive down veterans homelessness.

Trump targeted this homeless agency last month, and this week all its staff were put on leave. www.npr.org/2025/04/16/n...

HUD had a similarly empty booth at the American Planning Association conference in Denver last weekend.