HUD Visitor Center - Employee/Contractor Notification

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Effective Monday, October 29, 2001

Q: where Will Visitors Go to Gain Access to the HUD Building?

All visitors entering the HUD building must go to the Visitor Center Screening Area near the front door of the North and South entrances.

HUD employees who require temporary badges will receive an "E" badge with the designated color of the day and a badge number. If a HUD employee forgets his or her HUD ID, he or she must leave another current photo ID with the guard to receive a Visitor's pass which can be retrieved at the end of their shift when they return the "E" badge assigned to them for the day. This badge will entitle the employee to have access to all floors of the building and will not require an escort for the HUD employee.

Yes, as of October 29, 2001 all HUD employees, visitors, and contractors will be required to display their HUD ID badges at all times. Security guards will be monitoring this requirement and any violators will be returned to the Guard station for processing. Chains or other attachments are available at the ID center on the first floor free of charge for HUD employees with IDs!

The hours of operation for the Visitor Center are as follows:

North Entrance - From 6:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday through Friday - All IDs shall be retrieved at the South entrance after 7 p.m. (This entrance is closed on the weekends)

South Entrance - 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All the same procedures apply.

Q: What Procedure Is Followed when a Visitor Arrives?

1. To gain entrance to the HUD building a CURRENT photo ID: driver's license, military ID, work related ID (government or non-government), passport, etc. is required.
   
   
2. The photo on the ID will be checked to ensure that it matches the person visiting. Children under 12 accompanied by their parents and Official Secretary's guests are exempt from these provisions.
   
   
3. The visitor must sign the official building log.
   
   
4. The appropriate badge with the floor number requested and the badge number in the color of the day will be displayed on the badge and the badge number noted on the log.
   
   
5. The visitor (including federal government employees from other agencies) must leave a photo ID with a guard. The ID will be returned to him or her after they return the Visitor's pass upon exiting the building.
   
   
6. Escort Requirement - No visitors are allowed past the Security Guard without an Escort with a HUD ID except other federal employees visiting the HUD cafeteria, gym and credit union with proper credit union credentials. Visitors will be inspected by a magnetometer. All cellular phones, purses, gym bags, briefcases, packages, etc. will be x-rayed.
   
   
7. The HUD visitor's escort will be called and required to come to the guard station and sign the roster for the visitor. The visitor will be released to the HUD employee.
   
   
8. The visitor will be given a color-coded visitor's day badge. While visiting HUD offices, all visitors must be escorted at all times. The color-coded visitor's badge will be used for all visitors, HUD contractors, couriers, temporary/permanent employees, etc. The color of the badges will change and be rotated daily.
   
   
9. The visitor must be escorted back to the Visitor Center before departing the facility to pick up the ID that was surrendered.
   
   
10. Should the visitor and the HUD ID escort choose to go to lunch or to a meeting outside of the building, the visitor can leave the building with the Visitor badge and can retrieve his/her deposited ID at the end of their visit at HUD. All the other procedures apply.
    
    
11. The visitor must return the badge before finally departing the building for the day. All visitor badges will be accounted for at the end of the day. It is the responsibility of the escort as well as the office that gave permission for the visit, if the visitor does not surrender his/her badge before departure. If any ID's remain, the escort-HUD employee will be contacted first and then the Security Chief for appropriate action.
    

Q: if I Have a Visitor and We Decide to Go to Lunch at L'Enfant Plaza, Can We Leave and Re-enter the Building without the Visitor Having to Surrender His Visitor's Pass?

Yes, you can escort the visitor to lunch and then escort them back to the building without retrieving their photo ID as long as you are with them; however you will be required to enter through the North and South entrances as only HUD employees are allowed to enter through the L'Enfant Plaza entrance.

Q: if I Know My Office Is Expecting Visitors or Contractors on Special Work Assignments to the HUD Building for a Meeting or an Event in the Cafeteria and the Group Exceeds 10 People, What Type of Advance Notification Is Required?

24-hour notification is required for a group larger than 10 people so that we can timely process the group. Additionally it would be helpful if you could provide the names to the Security office in advance at 202-708-3051 so that Visitor badges can be allocated for that floor. It may be possible to have one guard assigned in a separate area for ease of processing the visitors.

Q: What Happens if I See a Visitor Who Should Be on One Floor on Another Floor?

Please call the security office at 202-708-3051. A security guard will come to your location. The first number of the badge is the floor number and the second number is the badge number (e.g.2 - 45). This indicates that the visitor should be on floor 2 and his/her badge number is 45. It would be very helpful if you would have both numbers when you call security. We appreciate the help, as we all know that the responsibility for the security of the building rests with all of us!

Q: What types of badges may be issued?

*(ER) - Escort Required with HUD ID

**(NER) - No Escort required to designated badge area with Federal ID