Meet President-Elect Trump’s pick for Secretary of Housing & Urban Development

What do the NFL, motivational speaking, and a think tank set up to lay the groundwork for Trump’s second term have in common? They’re all roles President-Elect Trump’s pick for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development has held. Meet Scott Turner- the man tapped to head the agency that seeks to provide Americans with safe and affordable housing.

During Trump’s first term, Turner ran the administration’s White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council which focused on creating Opportunity Zones using federal funds and tax incentives to improve economically disadvantaged communities- typically in large cities.  

Later, in early 2022, Turner became Chair of the conservative think tank America First Policy Institute  (AFPI)–an organization created by former Trump advisors Larry Kudlow and Brooke Rolins to promote the policies that guided much of Trump’s first term in office. Turner also served as Chair of the Center for Education Opportunity which focused on school choice and parental rights. 

Turner’s resume also includes nine seasons in the NFL as a defensive back, serving as a Texas state representative, an associate pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Texas, and a motivational speaker. “Scott will work alongside me to Make America Great Again for EVERY American,” Trump wrote in a statement.

The America First Policy Institute

For reverse mortgage professionals, concerns about how HUD will manage the FHA-insured reverse mortgage or Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) under an administration that has vowed to slash the size of the government and its spending. 

Seeing that Turner worked closely with the America First Policy Institute we searched the think tank’s site for any positions on housing policy and found several position papers that addressed homelessness, home appraisal oversight, and funding of HUD but none specific to the HECM program. 

One policy analysis criticized the Biden administration’s fiscal year 2023 request to boost HUD’s discretionary funding by 21% higher than in 2021. “Rather than simply increasing spending, the Biden Administration should focus on pulling the federal government back and letting the free market, families, and local communities respond to America’s needs”, noted the paper. 

Turner’s tenure at the America First Policy Institute may incline him to sympathize with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) ‘s efforts to slash federal spending, which would likely include HUD. The question is which programs would the incoming Trump administration target first.  

Politico writes, “As HUD chief, he would likely seek to slash the department’s funding, reverse Biden-era fair housing policies and overhaul homelessness programs, all goals laid out by the Trump campaign”.

Proceed with caution

While there are likely trillions of dollars in waste and fraud in federal spending it’s imperative that the Trump administration exercise care when considering slashing funding for key programs that could impact housing security and retirement for millions of Americans. Since 2013 the HECM reforms and policy changes have curtailed excessive claims against FHA’s insurance fund. They’ve also pushed many would-be HECM borrowers to the sidelines as the reduced principal limit factors left homeowners short-to-close.  

Certainly, changes are likely needed at HUD. However, reforms should be weighed against their long-term impacts on affordable housing, the prevention of housing discrimination, and older homeowners continued accessibility to the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage program .