Jennifer Ludden
Jennifer Ludden helps edit energy and environment stories for NPR's National Desk, working with NPR staffers and a team of public radio reporters across the country. They track the shift to clean energy, state and federal policy moves, and how people and communities are coping with the mounting impacts of climate change.
Previously, Ludden was an NPR correspondent covering family life and social issues, including the changing economics of marriage, the changing role of dads, and the ethical challenges of reproductive technology. She's also covered immigration and national security.
Ludden started reporting with NPR while based overseas in West Africa, Europe and the Middle East. She shared in two awards (Overseas Press Club and Society of Professional Journalists) for NPR's coverage of the Kosovo war in 1999, and won the Robert F. Kennedy Award for her coverage of the overthrow of Mobutu Sese Seko in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. When not navigating war zones, Ludden reported on cultural trends, including the dying tradition of storytellers in Syria, the emergence of Persian pop music in Iran, and the rise of a new form of urban polygamy in Africa.
Ludden has also reported from Canada and at public radio stations in Boston and Maine. She's a graduate of Syracuse University with degrees in television, radio, and film production and in English.
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Staffing at the HUD office that pays for housing and support services across the country is slated to be cut by 84%. Advocates warn such heavy cuts could make record-high homelessness even worse. -
As federal layoffs mount, sources say the Trump administration plans a 50% staffing cut at the federal housing agency. The moves come amid an affordable housing shortage and record high homelessness. -
Federal agencies continued to lay off workers Friday. The cuts come after President Trump signed an executive order this week directing agencies to prepare for "large-scale" reductions in force. -
The Trump administration is reviewing contracts across the federal housing agency. Some employees worry about potentially "devastating" cuts, though union leaders also hope some good may come of it. -
The former NFL player served in the first Trump administration, promoting investment in distressed neighborhoods. Turner has said HUD is "failing at its most basic mission." -
Big insurance companies have pulled back from California, forcing thousands to turn to insurers of last resort. Fire victims say the limited policies will make recovery and rebuilding more difficult. -
The first Trump administration tried to scale back who gets food benefits, and allies aim to try again. Food pantries say they're already busier than ever. -
Scott Turner pledged to make HUD programs more streamlined and efficient. He declined to say whether he would oppose major budget cuts to the agency if Trump proposes them again. -
The annual federal count finds more than 770,000 people living in shelters or outside. It cites rising rents and the recent surge in migrants as key factors behind the increase. -
The burst of new laws follows a landmark Supreme Court ruling and reflects public frustration with record-high homelessness. But advocates say fines and jail time will only make the problem worse.
