Scott Turner was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 5, 2025, to serve as the 19th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), following a bipartisan vote of 55-44. He was sworn in by Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, the Honorable Clarence Thomas.
Secretary Turner, a former NFL player and Texas state legislator, has a diverse background that includes leading the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council (WHORC) and driving the Opportunity Zones Initiative. He also served as an Associate Pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church and was the Founder and CEO of the Community Engagement & Opportunity Council, as well as a housing development executive at JPI.
In his role as HUD Secretary, Turner has outlined several key priorities. He aims to restore HUD to its core mission of supporting strong and sustainable communities and providing quality, affordable homes, particularly for the nation's most vulnerable populations. Turner emphasized the need to reduce burdensome regulations to make homeownership easier and to unleash prosperity in communities that have been stifled for too long. He also highlighted that housing is crucial for building thriving communities and is a foundation of the American Dream[1][5].
One of the significant challenges facing Secretary Turner is the current state of the housing market, which includes persistently high mortgage rates, a shortage of housing inventory, growing demand for subsidized housing, and record levels of homelessness. The National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates a shortage of 7.3 million units of affordable rental homes across the country, particularly in high-cost metropolitan areas. Addressing this housing affordability crisis and the rising homelessness, which increased by over 18% in 2024, will be among his major feats[2].
Turner will also need to navigate complex issues related to fair housing and lending. He must ensure that HUD's enforcement of the Fair Housing Act aligns with the Supreme Court's *Inclusive Communities* decision and resolve the ongoing debate over the "disparate impact" rule, which was withdrawn by the Biden Administration and replaced with an older rule from the Obama era[2].
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), a key component of HUD, faces its own set of challenges. With a portfolio of over $1.5 trillion and more than 8 million active loans, the FHA has been working to keep distressed borrowers in their homes through various workout and loss mitigation processes. However, the increasing number of borrowers utilizing "partial claims" to stay current on their mortgages presents ongoing challenges. Additionally, Ginnie Mae, which is part of HUD, is undergoing a large-scale redesign initiative to transition its Mortgage-Backed Securities platform, a project that will cost tens of millions of dollars[2].
Secretary Turner will also focus on disaster recovery efforts, as HUD plays a critical role in the long-term recovery of communities devastated by natural disasters. Ensuring that assistance flows efficiently and effectively to those in need will be a significant part of his responsibilities[2].
In terms of administrative tasks, Turner will need to fill key positions within HUD with seasoned professionals in areas such as public and subsidized housing, fair housing/lending, mortgage banking, and financial markets. Upgrading HUD's IT infrastructure, a process that has been ongoing under both the Trump and Biden Administrations, will also be a priority to improve the department's performance[2].
Chairman Tim Scott of the Senate Banking Committee expressed support for Turner's confirmation, highlighting his qualifications and the shared goal of addressing the housing crisis and increasing access to quality, affordable housing. Chairman Scott looks forward to working with Secretary Turner to cut bureaucratic red tape and advance commonsense housing solutions[3].
