National Fair Housing Alliance Issues Statement on Scott Turner’s Nomination for HUD Secretary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 25, 2024

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National Fair Housing Alliance Issues Statement on Scott Turner’s Nomination for HUD Secretary

Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Fair Housing Alliance® (NFHA™) released the following statement from Lisa Rice, President and Chief Executive Officer in response to Scott Turner, former Member of Congress (Texas) and former director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council’s nomination for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):

“Where you live has a big impact on how your life unfolds, and that varies greatly by neighborhood. The next Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has tremendous shoes to fill and must prioritize actions that will achieve HUD’s mission to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities, provide affordable housing opportunities, and enforce the nation’s premier fair housing statute. Scott Turner has been nominated to lead HUD at a time when the number of housing discrimination complaints is at an all-time high and the nation is facing a fair and affordable housing crisis. Voters are demanding solutions to drive down the cost of housing, mortgage credit, and homeowners insurance, fill the nation’s over 4 million units affordable housing gap, and build viable, resilient communities where everyone can thrive. Voters nationwide are also pushing for increased fair and affordable housing funding—turning to ballot measures from Charlotte to Los Angeles to address the housing shortage, rising homelessness, and increased fair housing challenges.

NFHA™ urges Scott Turner, if confirmed, to fully enforce the Fair Housing Act which provides the blueprint to ensure equal access to the American dream for everyone. HUD’s next Secretary must tackle housing’s outsized role in driving inflation, delivering relief to everyday people and fairly expanding the Housing Choice Voucher Program as well as homeownership opportunities for first-generation homebuyers.

HUD’s new leader should ensure private fair housing centers—which service roughly 75 percent of all fair housing complaints—have the resources they need to provide critical services to consumers in local communities. Moreover, if confirmed, Mr. Turner should build on solutions like the Homeowner Assistance Fund and Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which kept millions of individuals and families housed during the COVID pandemic and helped allay a second foreclosure crisis. Additionally, Mr. Turner should work to curb discrimination, which costs the economy trillions, by focusing on reforming the systemic undervaluation of homes in Black and Latino communities. Inaccurate and biased appraisals were found to have robbed homeowners in predominantly Black neighborhoods of at least $162 billion in 113 metro areas. He should ensure fair pricing for mortgage loans by supporting Special Purpose Credit Programs and the use of positive rental payments and consumer cash flow data in mortgage underwriting since some credit scoring systems can perpetuate bias and/or significantly burden residents of the south. Lastly, if confirmed, Mr. Turner must fight for the necessary resources to effectively lead HUD.

During his previous administration, President-elect Trump gutted HUD’s staff and budget, including cuts to the Community Development Block Grant program, Fair Housing Initiatives Program, and HOME grant program, which jeopardized HUD’s ability to address the nation’s fair and affordable housing crisis or effectively handle thousands of housing discrimination complaints. Ensuring critical support for HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity and local fair lending enforcement agencies is crucial to HUD’s important mission.

The HUD Secretary also provides key oversight to ensure the Government Sponsored Enterprises comply with the Fair Housing Act and must help implement HUD and the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s “Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Fair Housing and Fair Lending Coordination.” NFHA™ has worked with HUD under both Republican and Democratic administrations to assist HUD in facilitating this important function. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, via implementation of their Equitable Housing Finance Plans, are delivering on their statutory obligations to ensure credit liquidity for underserved consumers and communities. NFHA™ will take every step to ensure any discussions to privatize these housing giants will center their fair housing and duty-to-serve responsibilities.

NFHA™ is ready to work with the next administration and HUD’s leadership to develop a comprehensive national housing strategy, including tackling local exclusionary zoning ordinances that block fair and affordable housing for millions of individuals and families. Our obligation is to hold every presidential administration accountable for ensuring the promise of fair housing for all is upheld. We stand ready to defend any attempt to weaken existing fair housing and civil rights protections. Now is the time to advance fair housing opportunities for everyone, not just some.”

The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) is the country’s only national civil rights organization dedicated solely to eliminating all forms of housing and lending discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities for all people. As the trade association for over 170 fair housing and justice-centered organizations and individuals throughout the U.S. and its territories, NFHA works to dismantle longstanding barriers to equity and build diverse, inclusive, well-resourced communities.