THE U.S. HOUSING Act of 1937, also known as the Wagner-Steagle Housing Act, created the Federal Housing Administration, later known as the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Throughout its history, HUD has been instrumental in providing affordable housing to low- and middle-income Americans.

On the down side, HUD has been involved in so many scandals that most people equate the agency with government corruption, ranging from simple mismanagement to criminal activities. Because the agency doles out billions of taxpayer dollars, the temptation to grab a portion of the profits has proved irresistible to scores of HUD employees over the years.