A neurosurgeon with no experience in housing has been confirmed as the head of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
On Thursday,
the Senate confirmed Dr. Benjamin Carson as HUD secretary. The confirmation was made by a roll call vote of 58 to 41.
The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs approved Carson for the nation’s top housing agency role back on Jan. 24.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), a harsh critic of the Trump administration, previously said that while Carson wasn’t her first choice for HUD secretary, his written responses to a nine-page letter she wrote him “made good, detailed promises on everything from protecting anti-homelessness programs to enforcing fair housing laws.”
Warren added, “If Dr. Carson doesn’t follow through on his commitments, I will be the very first person he hears from — loudly and clearly and frequently. I didn’t hesitate to criticize past HUD secretaries when they fell short, and I won’t hesitate with Dr. Carson — not for one minute.”
Carson, who will become the 17th HUD secretary, was
formally nominated by President Donald J. Trump on Dec. 5, 2016.
Among the housing related trade groups to issue favorable statements about Carson’s confirmation were the Mortgage Bankers Association,
National Association of Realtors, National Association of Home Builders and National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association,
MBA President and Chief Executive Officer David H. Stevens noted that Carson’s “commitment to bolster America’s real estate markets and assist communities nationwide will serve him well in his new role.”
NRLMA
President and CEO Peter Bell highlighted Carson’s lifelong commitment to improving the well-being of children and families. HUD oversees the Federal Housing Administration and its home-equity conversion mortgage program.
NAHB Chairman
Granger MacDonald stated, “Dr. Carson knows that removing regulatory barriers is a necessary component of any national housing policy and that housing is key to the long-term health of the U.S. economy.”
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) noted in a Tweet, “Together we will work to get more Americans out of poverty and on the ladder of opportunity.”
