&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Scientists protest as over 1,800 National Science Foundation employees are displaced")
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) takeover forces National Science Foundation (NSF) staff out of new headquarters
Sudden announcement shocks employees
On 24 June, more than 1,800 workers at the National Science Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia, were told they must leave their headquarters. At a press briefing the next day, officials from the Department of Housing and Urban Development confirmed the move. HUD staff will take over the building "as quickly as possible," said Michael Peters, Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service .
Many NSF staff were surprised. One told E&E News they had “literally zero idea” the change was coming. The facility, opened in 2017, had only recently become home to the agency .
Protests and political backlash
On 25 June, dozens of NSF employees gathered outside, chanting slogans such as “We won’t go!”
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HUD Secretary Scott Turner defended the transfer as a positive move for efficiency. About 2,700 HUD staff will move into the former NSF offices from the 1960s-era Weaver building . He described it as “a win for everyone involved.”
But not all share this view. The American Federation of Government Employees called the transfer a "callous disregard" for taxpayers and scientists, and claimed HUD planned luxury additions such as an executive suite and gym for Turner . Turner dismissed these claims as “ridiculous.”
Criticism from Congress and science groups
Senator Maria Cantwell said the move was "adding insult to injury", accusing the administration of pushing a 55% cut to the NSF budget . She added that such actions could weaken America’s scientific standing.
On the House side, Representative Zoe Lofgren described the decision as “egregious, corrupt, and disgraceful abuse of power”, adding that the US could fall behind competitors such as China.
What happens next
The NSF, created in 1950, funds key scientific achievements like the barcode, gravitational wave detection, and imaging black holes. But the agency now faces a budget cut of more than 50% and has lost over 1,600 grants in the past six months . HUD also faces a 44% cut to its 2026 budget .
The relocation plan is not yet clear. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin urged that NSF remain in the state, even if in a different building . The General Services Administration says it will work to find new suitable space and support NSF’s mission . NSF has not issued a comment .
