Scott Turner, a former NFL participant turned Texas state legislator, stated Thursday throughout his affirmation listening to to be the subsequent Housing and Urban Development (HUD) secretary his objective can be to assist folks escape authorities help and turn out to be extra self-sustainable.
Testifying earlier than the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and City Affairs, Turner stated, if confirmed, his precedence could be to advance and develop polices heralded by the incoming Trump administration.
“This second is not only about fixing what’s damaged, it’s about persevering with and increasing the insurance policies from the primary Trump administration — insurance policies that labored,” Turner stated Thursday, including his “objective” as HUD secretary can be “to assist folks get off authorities help, turn out to be self-sustainable and obtain the American dream.”
Turner beforehand served as government director of the Trump administration’s Alternative and Revitalization Council that established “Opportunity Zones,” an financial revitalization plan aimed toward serving to low-income, minority communities, which Turner stated he hopes to develop. Turner additionally stated he plans to chop crimson tape and have interaction with state, native and personal companions to decrease the price of housing.
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Eric Scott Turner, President-elect Trump’s nominee to be secretary of Housing and City Improvement, is sworn in throughout a Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and City Affairs listening to for his pending affirmation on Capitol Hill Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Washington. (Related Press )
“I consider having that fairness within the house must be out there to the house owner as a result of that’s how most households start to construct wealth,” Turner stated.
However Democrats on the listening to questioned whether or not Turner might make housing extra inexpensive.
At one level in the course of the listening to, Turner was requested about his assist for work necessities for these receiving Part 8 housing help, telling committee members he thought they have been a good suggestion. When Turner tried to clarify his reasoning, he was reduce off by the senator questioning him and unable to reply.
On whether or not he would reduce funding from sure applications, Turner didn’t give a concrete reply by some means. However he did decide to “maximize” the funding HUD has and can work with committee members to handle issues about funding for sure applications.
“There are numerous elements to why housing is so costly now, and I consider first we have to get our personal fiscal home so as,” Turner instructed Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., when she requested Turner if he would assist extra federal funding to decrease the price to construct extra inexpensive housing.
“I do sit up for trying on the HOME Program and different applications, however there’s report funding from HUD. HUD’s price range is almost $70 billion at this level, and we’re nonetheless not assembly the necessity that we’re presupposed to be assembly.”
Eric Scott Turner, President-elect Trump’s nominee for U.S. secretary of Housing and City Improvement, throughout a Senate Banking, Housing, and City Affairs Committee affirmation listening to in Washington, D.C., Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Getty Pictures )
Turner stated along with addressing Democrats’ issues, he intends to conduct an agency-wide overview of present applications to evaluate what’s working and what’s not working effectively and establish any regulatory obstacles affecting the provision of affordable housing.
Turner stated a variety of this work will contain participating with state and native officers, since they’re uniquely aware of the housing wants and roadblocks inside their communities.
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Turner additionally stated he plans to search out methods to cut back the cost of construction and have interaction with non-public sector entities inside the housing market.
Eric Scott Turner, President-elect Trump’s nominee to be secretary of Housing and City Improvement, arrives to testify at his Senate Banking, Housing, and City Affairs affirmation listening to on the Dirksen Senate Workplace Constructing Jan. 16, 2025. in Washington, D.C. (Getty Pictures)
Along with their questions on funding HUD applications, Democrats questioned Turner about whether or not he would work to take away alleged racial bias from the housing appraisal business and whether or not he intends to go after “worth gouging” from actual property traders.
Turner stated he would decide to trying into the problem with Democrats and make a willpower from there. Nevertheless, Turner did rail in opposition to variety, fairness and inclusion (DEI) measures he stated are embedded in HUD.
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“Regardless of all of the subsidies and all of the trillions of {dollars} [the Biden administration] spent, not a lot good has occurred,” Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., chairman of the Senate banking committee, stated Thursday throughout his opening assertion.
“However, at this time, it’s a new day in America, and new management brings hope and alternative and enthusiasm again to the American folks.”
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