Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is ready to assist the federal government as it continues its sprawling investigation into fraud from taxpayer-funded programs.
Abbott wrote a letter to Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner volunteering the state of Texas to participate in a HUD pilot program seeking to eliminate fraud in affordable housing programs, using the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA).
"We will gladly work with you to develop and implement fraud prevention measures that ensure federal taxpayer funds, like those in rental assistance programs, are not taken advantage of by bad actors," Abbott wrote.
According to HUD's Agency Financial Report for Fiscal Year 2025, more than $5 billion in rental assistance payments nationwide were potentially made in error to rental programs, including some involving deceased individuals.
"TDHCA has robust policies to address waste, fraud, and abuse, including internal training for TDHCA staff on identifying potential cases of fraud and alerting Texans to scams," Abbott said.
Abbott said TDHCA's verification process allows it to prevent improper payments to deceased individuals for Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) housing assistance.
The program also has a dedicated chief of Fraud Prevention and Investigation position to review all programs within the department.
About 150,000 Texas households use rental assistance, Abbott said.
"Improper payments and fraud in these programs not only undermine confidence in government, but also the goal of making housing more affordable," Abbott said.
"Every time a fraudulent or improper payment is made, Americans eligible for these programs miss out on assistance and taxpayers are cheated," Abbott added.
"I believe TDHCA is well-positioned to work with HUD in identifying ways to better steward these programs," Abbott continued.
The Texas governor said ensuring hardworking taxpayer dollars are not misused is one of the foundational roles of good governance.
"I look forward to working with you and President Trump in combating fraud, increasing the integrity of housing programs, and Making Housing Affordable Again," Abbott said.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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