Ben Carson Confirmation Hearing Begins
Dr. Ben Carson, President-elect Trump’s Choice to Lead HUD
On Thursday, January 12, 2017, at 10 AM, Dr. Ben Carson, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead HUD, will go before the Senate Banking Committee for his confirmation hearing.
Little is known about Dr. Carson’s perspective on housing issues beyond one article he wrote opposing the Obama administration’s efforts to provide states and communities with data, tools, and guidance to meet their obligations to affirmatively further fair housing under the Fair Housing Act of 1968.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) encourages senators on the Banking Committee to use the confirmation hearing as an opportunity to ask Dr. Carson about his views on the role of government in addressing poverty, his commitment to enforcing fair housing laws, and his top priorities for HUD, if confirmed.
NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel released a statement on President-elect Trump’s appointment of Dr. Carson in November, noting that it was “surprising and concerning, given his lack of experience with or knowledge of the programs he would oversee.”
On NPR, current HUD Secretary Julian Castro expressed concern that Dr. Ben Carson could undo the Fair Housing ruling.
Castro thinks, like other secretaries before him, that Carson will grow to appreciate HUD’s role once he learns more about it. Still, he’s clearly worried that the new administration could roll back some key initiatives. Carson has strongly criticized a new HUD rule to get local communities to comply with the 1968 Fair Housing Act, which is intended to reduce neighborhood segregation.
“I’d be lying if I said that I’m not concerned about the possibility of going backward, over the next four years,” Castro says.
Top Ten Questions for Ben Carson
NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel’s Press Statement
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