Carson confirmed as new HUD secretary

The Senate approved Carson’s nomination 58-41 Thursday

Carson confirmed as new HUD secretary
The National Association of Realtors looks forward to working with Dr. Ben Carson, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate yesterday as the new secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

“Dr. Carson should be proud of his achievement. The task at hand is a big one, and we applaud his commitment to the challenges that lie ahead,” NAR President William E. Brown said in a statement. “NAR has been the voice of real estate for over a century. In that time we’ve seen changes in markets, in Washington and in the business of our realtor members. But there’s a reason that homeownership is called the ‘American Dream,’ and that hasn’t changed one bit.

 “We’re committed to helping them get there, which means addressing the hurdles that buyers, current homeowners and investors face in the marketplace,” Brown added. “Housing inventories are tight and mortgage credit is hard to come by, and at the same time far too many buyers are saddled with high rents and student debt that stand in the way of saving for a down payment.”

President Donald Trump first mentioned the possibility of nominating Carson – who has no housing experience – in a Nov. 22 tweet. Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, ran against Trump in the primaries, but went on to become one of his highest-profile supporters during the general election.

Carson was a controversial choice not only because of his inexperience, but because many of his statements seem to put him at odds with many of the anti-segregation policies championed by minority groups and fair housing advocates, according to The Washington Post.


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