HUD Secretary targets the ‘enemy’ of new housing
In a speech to industry executives, Scott Turner emphasized the agency’s “mission-minded focus” — and his plans to cut out the bureaucracy that gets in the way.
Key points:
- Speaking at the T3 Leadership Summit, Turner said easing regulations on construction is key to addressing the housing affordability crisis.
- Turner touched on specific housing initiatives, including plans to open up federal land for residential development and the need for public-private partnerships.
- At the same time, he is focused on “working to get our fiscal house in order” as HUD faces the possibility of major budget cuts.
FRISCO, Texas — Promising a "mission-minded focus" from his agency, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner said HUD will address the housing affordability crisis by easing regulations and cutting through red tape.
Speaking to hundreds of real estate executives at the T3 Leadership Summit on May 19, Turner laid out his vision for HUD: to clear away the bureaucracy he says is getting in the way of homebuilding efforts, and to get creative with public-private partnerships and community-level programs to reach those goals. (Note: Real Estate News is an editorially independent division of T3 Sixty.)
"Bureaucracy is so often the enemy of new home construction," Turner said, soliciting — and receiving — general agreement from the crowd. "I am with you," he responded. "I think the same way, and so we're working hard to get this done."
Federal lands and local governance: During his keynote address, Turner discussed some of the ways the new administration plans to stimulate home construction, including opening up underutilized federal lands for housing development (he emphasized that national parks and national forests are not on that list).
He also spoke of his enthusiasm for Opportunity Zones, an initiative to improve economically distressed communities by providing incentives for public and private investment in those areas. The program was established during the first Trump administration by the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, which Turner led as executive director from 2019 to 2021.
One item on the chopping block, however, is the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule, which Turner called "a massive power grab" by Washington bureaucrats. The proposed rule aimed to address inequities in access to housing, and it required communities receiving HUD funding to help develop solutions. Turner previously discussed plans to terminate the rule in February, stating that it would return decision-making power to cities and states.
Operating with less funding: Turner did not directly address the proposed budget cuts to HUD, which, if approved, would total $33.6 billion, or about 44% of the agency's funding. But he did note at various times during his 30-minute speech that HUD's leadership is taking inventory and closely monitoring how each dollar is spent.
"We're working to get our fiscal house in order," Turner said.
That may include reducing the number of people on government programs — something that appeared to touch Turner personally: "My heart wants to see more people get off of government subsidies and programs and live a life of self sustainability and self sufficiency," he said.
Dedication and a sense of mission: Turner said he has been shaped by many things — his time in the NFL, preaching, politics and even his first job as a dishwasher, which taught him about dedication. All of those forces, he said, have contributed to how he approaches his leadership role at HUD.
But ultimately, he remains focused on the agency's core values.
"We're not about anything else but the mission," Turner said. "We're working to expand the American dream of homeownership for all Americans and to ensure that every American can access quality, safe and affordable housing."