US housing secretary to resign - Journal

WASHINGTON, March 30 (Reuters) - The U.S. housing secretary will resign Monday morning under pressure after accusations of improper allocation of federal contracts, the Wall Street Journal reported in its Monday edition.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson will step down on Monday morning, the paper reported. The department announced late Sunday that Jackson will make a statement to the press on Monday morning.

Jackson has faced calls for his resignation after lawmakers have said he behaved improperly in awarding federal contracts.

The Federal Housing Administration, overseen by HUD, runs the largest government program to aid home buyers and is seen by many lawmakers as the key to a federal effort to stem foreclosures.

(Reporting by Patrick Rucker, editing by Tomasz Janowski)