The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee has unanimously approved Dr. Ben Carson for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD.) His nomination now heads to the full Senate for a vote.

Manufactured housing also took center stage, as the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) tells MHProNews that Senator Dean Heller (R-Nevada) asked Dr. Carson to describe in writing his view of the role of manufactured housing in the provision of affordable housing in rural areas.

 

“I do see manufactured housing playing an important role in providing affordable housing in rural areas. I think it’s important to ensure HUD’s policies promote access to this valuable resource,” said Carson.

After the vote by the senate, Carson will inherit an agency with 8,300 employees and a budget of about $47 billion.

According to WWLP, Committee Chairman Michael Crapo of Idaho praised Carson and his impressive career.

“HUD will benefit from having a secretary with a different perspective and a diverse background,” said Crapo.

The committee advanced Carson’s nomination in a simple voice vote without major opposition from Senate Democrats, who are fighting other appointees of President Trump.

Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, the leading Democrat on the panel, said he was supporting Carson because of his commitments to address lead hazards, uphold fair housing laws and advocate for rental assistance, despite his reservations.

“I would not have chosen him because of his lack of experience and his often troubling public statements over the last three years,” said Brown.

“But despite my reservations and my disagreements with some of his positions, I’ll give Dr. Carson the benefit of the doubt.”

Prior to the vote, Brown proposed unsuccessfully that the committee begin requiring Cabinet-level nominees to submit three years of tax returns before confirmation hearings.

Republicans opposed the change.

Our extensive coverage on the nomination and confirmation of Dr. Ben Carson includes four former HUD Secretaries endorsing Carson and an open letter from MHProNews and MHLivingNews Publisher L.A. “Tony” Kovach.

The letter from Kovach is linked here. ##

(Image credits are as shown above.)

Submitted by RC Williams to the Daily Business News for MHProNews.