The Office of the Director within the Departmental Enforcement Center oversees the activities of the DEC's Compliance Division, Operations Division, five Satellite Offices and receives legal assistance from HUD's Office of Program Enforcement. The Office of the Director has overall responsibility for Enforcement Center activities and Department-wide coordination on enforcement issues.

By overseeing the work of these critical program areas, the Office of the Director ensures the highest standards of ethics, management and accountability. In this way, the Enforcement Center addresses areas that could make HUD vulnerable to waste, fraud and abuse in Federal housing programs.

In addition to this, the Office of the Director has primary responsibility for all enforcement actions taken by the Enforcement Center. Such actions might include administrative sanctions, including civil money penalties, suspension and/or debarment, and referral, when appropriate, to the Department of Justice for civil action. The DEC may also refer to HUD's Office of the Inspector General cases in which criminal activity is suspected.

The Departmental Enforcement Center is part of HUD's Office of General Counsel.