Scott Turner, a former Texas lawmaker and member of Donald Trump’s first administration, has been confirmed as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The Senate voted 55-44 on his confirmation.
Turner will lead HUD at a time when housing affordability has emerged as a leading issue in communities across the country and when the White House is looking to reshape federal spending.
During its first term, the Trump administration sought to severely cut the HUD budget, but those proposals were largely blocked by Congress. There’s concern that the new administration will again seek to slash the agency’s budget.
“As a country, we’re not building enough housing,” Turner said at his Jan.16 confirmation hearing. “We need millions more homes of all kinds—multifamily, single-family, duplexes, condos, manufactured housing. You name it. We need housing in our country for individuals and families to have a roof over their heads and to call home.”
He also said “HUD, if you will, is failing at its most basic mission.”
Turner, 52, served two terms as a Texas state representative from 2013 to 2017. He played nine seasons in the National Football League with the Washington Commanders, San Diego Chargers, and Denver Broncos.
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