The Department of Housing and Urban Development launched a new ethics program that will support whistleblower, ombudsman and hotline initiatives. Part of HUD's Office of the Inspector General, the Integrity & Compliance Program aims to create a "principled organizational culture," Inspector General David Montaya said in a Tuesday press release.
In recent months, HUD has been hobbled by allegations of misconduct from top officials, including instances of nepotism, sexual harassment and conflict of interest, as laid out by Montaya in a bruising
Through the ICP, the inspector general hopes to spark a culture change in HUD, promoting ethical behavior beyond the enforcement of financial disclosure requirements and compliance to conflict-of-interest regulations.
"We look to support our employees as they make tough decisions in their daily activities," he said in the release. "We also want to provide them guidance so they are prepared for instances when ethical dilemmas arise."
To implement the new ethics program, HUD OIG will partner with the Ethics & Compliance Initiative, a nonprofit organization that conducts research on standards and practices.
