The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development plans to add 1,000 positions across the country, adding to its current number of 8,000 federal employees. The department has not hired since since sequestration began in March 2013. Per The Washington Post: 

“It’s a very exciting time, “said Jerry Brown, HUD spokesperson. “HUD hasn’t had a hiring surge like this in anytime I can remember.”

HUD has already filled about 480 of those positions, but the agency plans to hire about 600 more employees. Money for the new employees comes from the agency’s 2014 budget and savings from positions that went unfilled for an extended period, according to HUD.

HUD recently announced Julián Castro as the secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, taking over for former HUD secretary Shaun Donovan.