Experts Argue Turner’s Nomination Threatens Proven Solutions to End Homelessness
Advocates at two leading homeless nonprofits are urging Senators to reject Scott Turner’s nomination for HUD Secretary. They argue that he has a track record of supporting harmful policies that would make homelessness worse in America.
The organizations also called on the public to contact their Senators and tell them to vote “No” on Turner’s nomination.
“Scott Turner has a history of policy positions that betray the known truth that housing is the solution to homelessness,” said Jesse Rabinowitz, spokesperson for the National Homelessness Law Center.
A Nation in Crisis: The Rapid Rise in Homelessness
Turner was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to lead HUD at a time when homelessness is growing rapidly across America. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of people experiencing homelessness grew by 18%, up to more than 770,000. The fastest growing subpopulations continue to be senior citizens and families with children, which speaks to the affordable housing crisis the country is suffering.
This is happening at a time when more than half of renters are considered housing-burdened, meaning they pay more than the recommended 30% of their income on housing and utility costs. Another one in four renters worry about becoming homeless because of high housing costs, according to a survey from the Acorns investing platform.
Turner’s Policy Positions: A Step Backward for Housing Solutions
Turner has also supported policies that could make homelessness worse in America. For instance, Turner:
- Rejects the evidence-based practice of providing housing with voluntary solutions.
- Endorses arresting and ticketing homeless people for living outside when no adequate shelter is available.
- Has voted against bills that would expand affordable housing and fund public-private partnerships to expand housing supply.
- Supports allowing landlords to discriminate against tenants who receive federal housing assistance.
Donald Whitehead, executive director for the National Coalition for the Homeless, said Turner’s track record is enough to disqualify him for HUD Secretary. When combined with Trump’s Project 2025 agenda, which seeks to end Housing First and force people into treatment programs, approving Turner as HUD Secretary could be disastrous for unhoused folks.
“We cannot support a HUD Secretary who does not support addressing the structural issues that cause homelessness,” Whitehead said. “Homelessness is a housing issue. Scott Turner has a record of voting against housing programs for marginalized individuals.”
The Success of Housing First: What’s at Stake
Overwhelming evidence shows that homelessness is caused by a lack of affordable housing and not mental health or substance abuse issues. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the U.S. has a shortage of 7.3 million affordable homes for its lowest income earning households, who are the most likely to fall into homelessness because of an economic shock.
Resolving cases of homelessness is also a matter of repairing individual relationships with their support systems. Many people stay homeless because they no longer trust the help they are offered, which can make it more difficult for people to get the help they need.
Forcing people into mental health and substance abuse treatments does not address either of these root causes of homelessness. In fact, living unhoused can significantly impede someone’s ability to make money to access public transportation and attend treatment programs.
Treatments are also less successful for people living unhoused because they are constantly exposed to the traumatic environment that can cause or exacerbate mental health and substance abuse issues in the first place.
Conversely, Housing First programs have been shown to address the underlying causes of homelessness. For instance, the city of Houston, Texas, has reduced its homeless population by more than 60% since 2011 using a Housing First approach. Other cities like Denver, Colorado, have implemented Housing First strategies and greatly reduced the number of homeless people who rely on emergency services, which saves taxpayers money.
“[Turner’s] positions stand in stark contrast to a nearly 25-year-old consensus, shared by previous HUD secretaries regardless of political affiliation, that housing, with services, is the most effective strategy to end homelessness. More broadly, Turner’s legislative and public records indicate his leadership will likely exacerbate homelessness across the country,” Rabinowitz said.
Raise Your Voice: Support Evidence-Based Housing Programs and Oppose Harmful Policies
Regardless of administration, housing is the true solution to homelessness. Turner’s and Trump’s proposals of jails, detention camps, and funding cuts will make homelessness worse. However, another path is possible. Solving homelessness through the proven housing plus services approach will make communities healthier, more just, and better poised to thrive.
But, the size of our response to homelessness is much smaller than the issue demands. You must contact your federal and local leaders and legislators. Tell them you support creative solutions to the country’s most pressing problem—homelessness. Tell them you support programs that increase the availability of stable housing for all.