WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., spoke on the need to address high housing costs and questioned secretary of Housing and Urban Development nominee Eric Scott Turner about how he would tackle the issue during his nomination hearing Thursday.
Britt also showed her support for Turner during the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing.
“We all know that we are facing a serious problem when it comes to affordable housing in this country,” Britt said. “Whether it’s inflation, whether it’s high construction cost, whether it’s interest rates…you name it, low inventory – we’ve got a lot of things that we’ve got to tackle in order to be able to fix this.”
Turner is a former NFL player, who was a member of the Texas House and served in the first Trump administration as the executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council.
A report by Harvard University found home prices have risen 47 percent since 2020.
Britt said she appreciated Turner saying he would focus on deregulation and streamlining HUD policies if confirmed. She also touched on the need to address a rise in homelessness. The senator emphasized that she thought he was the right person for the role.
“I am thrilled about the Trump Administration coming in, you being at the helm, getting focused back on solutions and getting real results, rather than prioritizing overburdensome regulations or mandates or harmful price controls that ultimately only add fuel to the fire,” Britt said.
Throughout the hearing Turner stuck to general answers to explain how he would lead the department. He said he would take inventory of HUD processes and work to bring down the cost of housing.
“What’s working for the American people, what’s not? ” Turner said. “Is it building more affordable housing or is it not? Is it helping the homelessness in our country or is it not? Is it meeting the needs of Americans that we serve or is it not? I think we go from there to come back to you, this committee and Congress and … say this is what we have found.”
Britt also thanked Turner’s commitment to visit Alabama.
Senate Democrats on the committee were also focused on Turner’s commitment to make housing more affordable and asked for specifics on his plans to tackle the issue.
Ranking Member Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA, asked if Turner supported more federal investment in programs to lower costs.
“What I do support is maximizing the budget that we do have,” Turner said.
He continued to only say he would work with the department’s current programs and funding. Sen. Warren said that gave her “real pause.”
Turner has mostly avoided the spotlight through the nomination process and will likely be confirmed.
A committee vote on the nominee has not been scheduled yet.