The U.S. Senate has confirmed a Southern Baptist pastor to serve as secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Trump administration.
Scott Turner, who was serving on staff at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, was confirmed Feb. 5 by a 55-44 vote. In a sea of highly controversial cabinet nominees, Turner’s nomination drew little attention.
In addition to serving on staff at Prestonwood, Turner is the founder and president of Community Engagement and Opportunity Council, an organization that supports children living in poverty and has made a major contribution to the Bonton neighborhood of South Dallas. He also serves as chief visionary officer for JPI, a national developer of affordable multifamily housing. And he and his wife, Robin Turner, own Statesman Clothiers, a custom men’s clothing company.
Scott Turner
He also serves as chair of the Center for Education Opportunity at America First Policy Institute, a far-right advocacy group set up by former Trump administration staffers whose mission is devote to “the primacy of American workers, families and communities.” In that role, Turner has advocated for school vouchers.
Other staff members from America First Policy Institute have been placed throughout government agencies in various roles and are driving Trump’s agenda to radically reshape the federal government.
Turner served in the first Trump administration with a task to promote investment in distressed neighborhoods. He spent nine years as a professional football player before being elected to the Texas House of Representatives twice.
ProPublica reported that as a lawmaker in Texas, Turner opposed expanding affordable rental housing and supported a bill to let landlords refuse to rent to someone on federal housing assistance.
During his confirmation hearing, Turner told senators HUD is “failing at its most basic mission,” citing high rates of homelessness and a shortage of affordable housing.
He also indicated he does not believe more federal money will make things better: “There’s record funding from HUD, and we’re still not meeting the need.”
Republicans historically have been critical of Section 8 housing, the government program that helps poor people with subsidized rents. Turner told senators he agrees with critics of the program that it is too cumbersome and its rules need to be eased.
The National Apartment Association and the National Multifamily Housing Council issued a statement congratulating Turner: “Secretary Turner’s expansive background in rental housing, community development and economic revitalization makes him the right leader for HUD at the right time.”
Yet even on day one, Turner will face the contradictory reality of the administration’s demands to pause federal payments for grants and other assistance programs that intersect with HUD’s mission.
HUD’s website appears to be in the midst of revisions. On a page titled “What We Do,” links to a “Climate Action Plan” have been removed, producing the message, “The requested page cannot be found.”
In the “News Releases” section, past years of releases are still visible for 1996 through 2023 but all 2024 news releases through the date of Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, are missing.
In addition to housing, HUD has responsibilities for fairness, rental assistance, climate and research.
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