Revenge of the Renters, Washington Edition

Here's a neat trick: In the budget it released yesterday, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is proposing to increase spending in 2011, including a new billion-dollar fund to build affordable housing for rent. At the same time, it's cutting its budget request to Congress by 5 percent.

How does HUD make the math work? Thank the mortgage meltdown for an unexpected windfall.