What does the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity do?

Updates published annually

The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) is a subdivision of the Department of Housing and Urban Development responsible for enforcing federal laws that prohibit discrimination in housing. The agency ensures equal access to housing and promotes inclusive communities through the administration of fair housing laws, public education, and outreach. It also investigates complaints of housing discrimination and works to eliminate discriminatory practices. It was established in 1968.

In FY 2024,

$99.5M

was spent by the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

In FY 2024,

0.2%

of Dept. of Housing and Urban Development spending was by the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

How much does the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity spend?

The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity spent a net total of $99.5 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 0.2% of the $52 billion spent by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which itself was 0.8% of all federal spending. The FHEO ranked 5th among HUD subdivisions in net spending.

Net spending is the difference between agency spending and any financial accounts generating funds from the agency’s own activities, like fees or rent. When these funds offset all spending, net spending appears negative. Some agencies tend to operate with positive net spending while others will register negative net spending sometimes or often.

The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity ranked 5th among Department of Housing and Urban Development divisions in net spending in 2024.

HUD net spending by division, FY 2024

Like the overall federal budget, agency spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity’s federal spending has increased from $2.53 million in 1981 to $99.5 million in 2024.

The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1981.

Yearly federal net spending by FHEO, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1981–2024

Since 1981, the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity's spending has increased 3,827.2%, while overall spending has increased 181.9%.

As a percentage of the overall federal budget, a positive number means agency net spending made up some positive share of total federal spending; a negative number means that net generated funds offset a portion of total spending. FHEO spending grew more than overall federal spending since 1981, which means that its share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, FHEO accounted for 0.0015% of overall federal spending.

Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1981.

Net spending by FHEO as a share of federal spending, FYs 1981–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.

In FY 2024, the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity had negative net direct spending, which means the department’s indirect spending was more than 100% of its total budget.

The chart below outlines all net FHEO spending.

How did the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to FHEO, FY 2024

How many people work for the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity?

Some 162 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity as of September 2024. This is 20% more people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity has increased 20% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for FHEO, September 2010–2024

The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity accounts for 0.007% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. The division constituted a larger share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 compared to 2010 (0.0064%).

While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity's share of the workforce (0.007%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.0015%).

Who leads the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity?

The FHEO is led by an Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. This individual is nominated by the President and requires confirmation by the Senate. The Assistant Secretary reports to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. There is no fixed term for this position.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

Office of Personnel Management
FedScope
Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury
Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement