Former NFL veteran-turned-Texas state legislator Scott Turner said Thursday during his confirmation hearing to be the next Housing and Urban Development (HUD) secretary his goal will be to help people get off government assistance and become more self-sustainable.
Testifying before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Turner said, if confirmed, his priorities would be to advance and expand polices heralded by the incoming Trump administration.
"This moment is not just about fixing what’s broken. It’s about continuing and expanding the policies from the first Trump administration — policies that worked," Turner said Thursday. He added that his "goal" as HUD secretary will be "to help people get off government assistance, become self-sustainable and achieve the American dream."
Turner previously served as executive director of the Trump administration’s Opportunity and Revitalization Council that established "Opportunity Zones," an economic revitalization plan aimed at helping low-income, minority communities, which Turner said he hopes to expand. Turner also said he plans to cut red tape, engage with state, local and private partners to improve the cost of housing and "maximize" HUD's current budget.
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"There are many factors to why housing is so expensive now, and I believe first we need to get our own fiscal house in order," Turner told Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., when she asked Turner if he would support additional federal investment to lower the cost to build more affordable housing. "I do look forward to looking at the HOME Program and other programs, but there's record funding from HUD. HUD's budget is nearly $70 billion at this point, and we're still not meeting the need that we're supposed to be meeting."
Democrats at the hearing suggested they were concerned that Turner would slash federal funding for certain programs, such as HUD’s Section 8 housing program and the agency's flagship HOME Investment Partnership Program. When probed about his approach to funding certain programs, Turner told Democrats he would work with them to review their concerns on a case-by-case basis but did not confirm one way or the other whether he would slash funding.
"The federal financing is a key part of financing housing, and affordable housing in Nevada," Sen. Catherine Cortez, D-Nev., said Thursday.
"We need to make some big changes," Warren added. "To really move the needle, the federal government needs to be a good partner, investing in affordable housing and spurring local innovation to cut red tape."
At one point during the hearing, Turner was asked about his support for work requirements for those receiving Section 8 housing assistance, telling committee members he thought it was a good idea. When Turner tried to explain his reasoning, he was cut off by the senator questioning him and unable to respond.
In addition to their questions about funding HUD programs, Democrats also questioned Turner over whether he would work to remove alleged racial bias from the housing appraisal industry and whether he intends to go after "price gouging" from real estate investors. Again, Turner did not say "no" but said he would commit to looking into the issue with Democrats and make a determination from there. However, Turner did rail against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) requirements at HUD for housing grant applicants.
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"When we grant assistance, obviously there's accountability, there's transparency, but to hold anyone hostage because of a politicization of an agency, or a process, is wrong across the board," Turner said when asked if he would investigate such polices.
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., chairman of the committee, echoed Turner's concerns that HUD has failed to live up to its mission and that housing is about more than just putting a roof over someone's head.
"Housing isn’t just about shelter, it’s about opportunity, and it is about stability," Scott said Thursday. "Despite all the subsidies and all the trillions of dollars [the Biden administration] spent, not much good has happened. But, today, it is a new day in America, and new leadership brings hope and opportunity and enthusiasm back to the American people."
