Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, will step in as the new secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. A Senate committee unanimously approved President Donald Trump’s choice of Carson for the top HUD spot on Tuesday. Carson will replace Julián Castro, who has served in the position since July 2014.
Carson “has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities,” President Trump said about Carson when he nominated him for the position in November.
Carson told the Senate committee during the confirmation hearings that he plans to adopt a “holistic” approach to housing. He spoke about his childhood experience with “housing insecurity” and how he wants to provide safer homes for children.
Carson, an outsider to the housing industry, was first viewed as a surprising choice to run HUD. He’s most known for his work as a pediatric neurosurgeon with Johns Hopkins. He ran in the Republican presidential primary against Trump; after leaving the race last March, he endorsed Trump.
Carson largely received the support of the housing industry during his confirmation hearings.
“Dr. Carson has shown a commitment to ensuring all Americans have access to a safe and affordable place they can call home,” NAR President William E. Brown said during the confirmation hearings. NAR wrote a letter to the U.S. Senate to urge swift confirmation of Carson as Secretary of HUD.
In the letter, Brown points to Carson’s support for the FHA’s mission and for rental assistance programs. He also notes that Carson has a clear understanding “of the key role that housing plays in the health of individuals and communities.”
Source: “Carson Approved as Secretary,” RISMedia (Jan. 24, 2017) and “NAR Issues Letter of Support for Dr. Ben Carson as HUD Secretary,” NAR Newsline (Jan. 23, 2017)
