HUD Secretary Turner Testifies at Senate THUD Subcommittee Hearing
Plus NAHRO meetings on Capitol Hill!
June 12, 2025 — On June 11, HUD Secretary Scott Turner appeared before the Senate THUD subcommittee, wrapping up his attempt to justify the President’s FY 26 budget request to Congress. Senate THUD Chair Cindy Hyde Smith (R-MS) opened her remarks by explaining to Secretary Turner that the Trump Administration’s proposal of ending the CDBG program and turning block grants over to the states is out of her panel’s jurisdiction and expressed concern for the administration’s proposal to end the HOME program along with the wide range of cuts that’ll reduce HUD’s budget by over 50%. Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) called out the administration’s tariff policies and trade wars as direct contributors to the housing crisis as they impact construction costs further stretching a scarce supply. Gillibrand mentioned that she hopes to introduce a bill to use RAD conversions that include wrap around services like she’s seen organizations provide in her state.
Secretary Turner took questions from Democrats on the panel with Chair Hyde-Smith (R-MS) as the lone Republican present for the hearing. Similar to Turner’s hearing with House THUD the day before, Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), the top Democrat of the full Senate Appropriations Committee made an appearance, pressing Turner on how HUD can do its job after downsizing the department’s staff by 2,300 employees and slashing their own budget in half. Murray also requested a status update on a court order to restore Continuum of Care cuts that the Trump administration has yet to resume. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) engaged with Sec. Turner on block grants, citing his own experience as a past county executive responsible for some in Delaware, explaining that states are not prepared to take this over from the federal level, calling the administration’s proposal unserious a sentiment shared by Sen. Murray.
Secretary Turner echoed sentiments of affordable housing critics in Congress and the Trump administration by blaming the affordability crisis on PHA’s management of taxpayer dollars but with very little specifics, details, or steps the agency is taking in response. Lawmakers urged Turner to partner with them to reform programs and make them work more efficiently rather than eliminate them or impose dramatic cuts that’ll result in many losing their assistance.
Watch the recording and read Secretary Turner’s written testimony: www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/a-review-of-the-presidents-fiscal-year-2026-budget-request-for-the-department-of-housing-and-urban-development
In case you missed, Secretary Turner also appeared at the House THUD Subcommittee on Tuesday, June 10.
Read NAHRO’s coverage of the House hearing: www.nahro.org/news/hud-secretary-turner-testifies-at-house-thud-subcommittee-hearing-today-senate-tomorrow
Next Steps: The House and Senate are working on their versions of the THUD appropriations bill. With a Republican supermajority in Congress and the White House, we expect the budgets to be more closely aligned but still have significant differences to iron out.
NAHRO staff were on the hill this week for Sec. Turner’s hearings but also for a meeting with Housing and Insurance Subcommittee Chair Mike Flood (R-NE) and Ranking Member Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) to defend the HOME and CDBG program as the two lawmakers work on a bills to strengthen the programs.
NAHRO staff will also meet with House and Senate appropriators Monday, June 16 to discuss our FY26 funding recommendations and why Congress must protect local housing solutions like HOME and CDBG and for HUD to maintain staff levels that can adequately support PHAs in managing taxpayer dollars.
Anyone can access NAHRO’s FY26 funding recommendations and high-level coverage of appropriations: www.nahro.org/advocacy/advocacy-and-congressional-resources/appropriations
Members can read NAHRO’s in-depth analysis of the budget proposal and its impact on programs and issues relevant to NAHRO members, including details about the proposed State Rental Assistance Block Grant (log in required): www.nahro.org/news/nahro-releases-in-depth-analysis-of-the-presidents-fy-2026-budget-proposal