Former NFL cornerback Scott Turner, age 52, received President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development on Friday, bringing his $50 billion Opportunity Zone oversight experience to an agency responsible for addressing the nation’s housing needs and sheltering more than 4.3 million low-income families through public housing, rental subsidy, and voucher programs. Turner’s previous role as executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council involved coordinating 16 federal agencies and implementing more than 200 policy actions for economic development in distressed communities.
Turner’s NFL career spanned nine seasons from 1995, starting as a seventh-round draft pick from the University of Illinois. He played for Washington, San Diego, and Denver, notably scoring a 75-yard interception return touchdown during San Diego’s challenging 1-15 season in 2000. During off-seasons, Turner worked as an intern for Representative Duncan Hunter, foreshadowing his political career.
The timing of Turner’s political ascent coincided with the Tea Party movement, as he secured election to the Texas House of Representatives in 2013. His two terms, ending in 2017, included an unsuccessful bid for House Speaker. Before this state-level service, Turner had attempted to enter Congress in 2006, running unsuccessfully as a Republican in California’s 50th Congressional District.
Trump’s administration tapped Turner in April 2019 to lead the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, where he managed the implementation of Opportunity Zones – economically depressed areas eligible for federal tax incentives. The program’s $50 billion private investment figure under Turner’s leadership represented a major scaling of community development initiatives.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s scope encompasses public housing operations, rental subsidy administration, and voucher programs serving low-income families. The agency maintains a budget of tens of billions of dollars, funding the construction of affordable housing, homeownership promotion, and homelessness reduction programs. The department oversees public housing authorities assisting the United State
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Trump’s housing policy, as outlined in campaign materials, focuses on making housing more affordable by cracking down on illegal immigration, reducing inflation, working to reduce regulations on home construction, and making some federal land available for residential construction. The administration’s previous HUD term, under Ben Carson, proposed budget cuts to the Community Development Block Grant program, the public housing capital fund, and the HOME grant program for more affordable housing, though many of those measures failed.
Turner currently serves as CEO of the Community Engagement & Opportunity Council, his family’s foundation, while holding board membership with the American Cornerstone Institute and an associate pastor position at Prestonwood Baptist Church. His response to the nomination acknowledged Carson’s mentorship, stating verbatim: “Few people are as compassionate and gracious as he is, and I am aware that I have big shoes to fill.”
The nomination requires Senate confirmation, unlike Trump’s other recent appointments, such as Scott Bessent for Treasury and Russell Vought for budget positions. Housing industry stakeholders, including the National Housing Conference and Mortgage Bankers Association, have expressed support for Turner’s community development background. The confirmation process timeline remains unspecified as of the announcement date.
The position’s technical requirements involve oversight of federal housing regulations, fair housing law enforcement, and coordination of multiple assistance programs. HUD provides housing assistance through public housing, rental subsidies, and voucher programs to help low-income families, with additional residents served through various housing programs.
Turner’s potential leadership of HUD arrives as the department faces pressing challenges in affordable housing availability. The department’s programs must address both urban development needs and rural housing challenges across diverse economic zones.
Previous departmental data reveals the implementation of more than 200 policy actions during Turner’s tenure with the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, providing quantifiable experience in federal program administration. These actions included coordinated efforts across multiple agencies to streamline investment in designated Opportunity Zones.
