Spokane HUD office to close this fall, cutting five positions

Spokane’s office of the Housing and Urban Development department (HUD) will close in September, eliminating five jobs here.

Federal officials are streamlining HUD as part of broad effort to provide services more efficiently. Spokane’s field office at the Thomas S. Foley Courthouse downtown is one of 16 being closed, the agency reported Wednesday.

Spokane’s HUD office serves Eastern Washington and North Idaho. The office reviews and monitors loan insurance programs for single family and multifamily housing projects. It also has one program manager reviewing insurance for health care facility loans.

HUD will still have a Seattle regional office in  Seattle, said HUD spokesman Lee Jones.

Spokane’s five staff workers will be offered buyouts or the option to move to another location, Jones said.

Over the next three years, HUD said the restructuring could save $45 million to $50 million.