The new Trump administration ushered in new appointments and executive orders that both underscored the need for affordable housing and signaled a shift in approach towards housing and homelessness, despite being light on details.
One of the executive orders signed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office referenced housing supply, calling for all executive departments and agencies to deliver “emergency price relief” that would lower the cost of housing and expand the housing supply. The order also requires agencies to eliminate unnecessary administrative expenses and “rent-seeking practices that increase healthcare costs” and cut counterproductive requirements that raise the costs of home appliances. The order stated that regulatory requirements alone account for 25% of the cost of constructing a new home. While the order has attracted attention by housing advocates and lawmakers, it lacks details on how it would accomplish its goals.
Meanwhile, the Senate Banking Committee voted in mid-January to advance Scott Turner’s nomination to be secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The vote was along party lines, with Democrats voting no over concern about Turner’s unfinished background check. Turner will next need to be confirmed by the full Senate.
At his hearing, Turner, an NFL veteran and former developer, noted that “HUD is failing at its most basic mission” and pointed to the high costs of housing and recent surge in homelessness. However, he did not provide specific recommendations for change, indicating a wish to take stock of programs that are and are not working first.
If confirmed, Turner is likely to continue Trump’s campaign focus on easing zoning regulations to spur additional construction and leaning on the private sector to address the housing crisis, building on his previous experience focusing on the Opportunity Zones program as the executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. Turner would not commit to pushing against proposed budget cuts to HUD programs during his hearing, eliciting concern from housing and homelessness advocates.
© LeSar Holdings/LeSar Development Consultants. All Rights Reserved. Please be advised that any republishing of copyrighted material provided by our organization, in whole or in part, requires prior written authorization. For permission, please reach out to [email protected]. We appreciate your understanding and compliance in upholding copyright laws.
Related Articles
About the Author
