Trump HUD targets energy building codes while states retain construction authority

The Trump administration directed the Department of Housing and Urban Development on Inauguration Day to withdraw federal endorsement of energy-efficiency building codes, targeting Biden-era requirements tied to HUD-backed mortgages. HUD instructed FHA lenders to cease requiring newly constructed homes to meet updated energy codes as a condition of federally backed loans. States and localities retained their own authority to set building codes, creating a split between federal mortgage policy and local construction standards.