HUD Names Jason Loughran Regional Administrator: What It Means for Domestic Violence Survivors in New York and New Jersey

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that Jason Loughran will serve as the New York and New Jersey Regional Administrator. This is an administrative leadership change for HUD’s regional office, which helps oversee housing programs and federal housing-related services in both states.

For many domestic violence survivors, housing is one of the biggest safety concerns. HUD decisions can affect access to:

• emergency shelter and transitional housing
• rental assistance and housing vouchers
• fair housing protections
• coordination with local housing agencies and service providers
• how quickly regional issues are escalated and addressed

A new regional administrator does not usually change your immediate eligibility for help, but leadership changes can affect how priorities are set, how quickly concerns are handled, and how local agencies communicate with HUD.

This update may matter to people who are:

• trying to leave an abusive partner and need safe housing
• already in a shelter or transitional housing program
• applying for HUD-assisted housing or vouchers
• dealing with housing discrimination, retaliation, or lease issues related to abuse
• working with a domestic violence advocate, legal aid, or housing navigator in New York or New Jersey

If you are in danger or trying to leave, the most important thing is not the leadership change itself, but whether your local housing and advocacy systems continue to function and respond.

This announcement suggests a change in regional oversight, which may influence:

• how local housing authorities are supported
• how complaints or policy concerns are elevated
• how HUD coordinates with state and community partners

It does not mean that help has stopped, and it does not mean you need to take any action unless you are already working on a housing or safety issue.

If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency number.

If you are not in immediate danger but need support, consider these steps:

1. Contact a domestic violence hotline or local advocate

   • They can help you think through shelter, housing, legal options, and safety planning.

2. Ask about housing protections for survivors

   • Survivors may have rights related to emergency transfers, lease issues, eviction defense, and housing discrimination.

3. Document what is happening

   • Save texts, emails, notices, photos, and names of people you speak with.
   • If it is safe, keep copies somewhere your abuser cannot access.

4. Use a safe device if possible

   • If someone may be monitoring your phone or email, use a trusted device or a library/computer you can access safely.

5. Tell your advocate about housing urgency

   • If you need to move quickly, say so clearly. Ask whether there are emergency shelter beds, hotel placements, or rapid rehousing options.

6. Ask for language access or disability accommodations

   • You can request interpretation, translation, or accessibility support when contacting agencies.

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
• TheHotline.org: chat and resources online
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 if you are overwhelmed, in crisis, or need immediate emotional support

• Your local public housing authority
• HUD-approved housing counselors
• Local legal aid or tenant rights organizations
• Domestic violence agencies that help with emergency shelter, relocation, and housing advocacy

If you are in New York or New Jersey, local domestic violence programs and legal services may be able to help with:

• emergency shelter placement
• safety planning for housing searches
• restraining order-related housing issues
• benefits and rental assistance referrals
• communication with landlords or housing authorities

• If your abuser monitors your phone, browser history, email, or location, be careful about searching for help.
• Consider clearing history, using private browsing, or asking an advocate to contact services for you.
• If you are planning to leave, do not announce your plan to someone who may tell your abuser.
• Pack only if it is safe to do so. Important items may include ID, medications, keys, children’s documents, and any housing paperwork.

This announcement does not provide details about any immediate policy changes, staffing changes beyond the appointment, or how the new administrator will affect specific housing programs. For survivors, the safest assumption is that existing housing and domestic violence resources remain the first place to turn while local agencies continue operating.

HUD’s appointment of a new regional administrator is a leadership update, not an immediate change to your safety plan or eligibility for help. If you are facing abuse and housing instability in New York or New Jersey, keep focusing on immediate safety, local advocates, and housing resources that can help you now.