Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development

The Department of Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development is the civilian HUD sub-agency that administers federal housing assistance, community development, and homelessness-prevention grants and programs. The Assistant Secretary manages a dual portfolio spanning modest contract activity and substantial federal grant making across housing authorities, local governments, and community development organizations nationwide.

Contract activity at the office is light. Total federal contract awards number 34 across portfolio history since 1981, with combined potential value of $241.5 million and $100 million obligated to date. Recent cadence shows 2 awards in 2021, 2 in 2022, 6 in 2023, 3 in 2024, and 6 year-to-date in 2026. Among 21 distinct prime contractors awarded, the competitive base is highly fragmented. Over the last five years, Action Facilities Management Inc., Guidehouse Inc., Cloudburst Consulting Group Inc., Dynamic-Pro Inc., and Fedcap Rehabilitation Services Inc. collectively account for 71 percent of recent awards by count, yet by potential value the top five (Spatial Front Inc., Cloudburst Consulting Group Inc., Guidehouse Inc., LBO Technology LLC, and Excelous LLC) cover only 34 percent. Spatial Front Inc. leads by single large contract at $44.6 million; Guidehouse Inc. is the most-awarded vendor with 3 recent contracts totaling $12.4 million. One recent award carries no reported potential value, typical of Schedule task orders or BPA calls. Set-asides are minimal: 71 percent of awards use no set-aside, 12 percent are 8(a) Sole Source, 6 percent are small-business set-asides, and 3 percent are WOSB set-asides.

Grant activity dominates the portfolio. The office has made 221,955 federal grant awards since 1992, obligating $295.94 billion to 11,764 distinct recipients. Annual cadence was 9,229 awards in 2022, 11,466 in 2023, 12,055 in 2024, 7,382 in 2025, and 3,723 year-to-date in 2026. Grant recipients are highly fragmented: the top five recipients by award count (Georgia Housing & Finance Authority, Mental Health & Addiction Services Connecticut, Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, and Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities) hold only 3 percent of recent awards. By federal dollars, the top five (City of New York Housing Preservation & Development, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Development Authority, and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority) cover 1 percent of recent federal dollars. Assistance is predominantly Project Grants at 59 percent of awards and Formula Grants at 41 percent; Cooperative Agreements represent less than 1 percent.

The Office of Community Planning and Development develops communities by promoting decent housing, suitable living environments, and expanded economic opportunities for low and moderate income people.