Trump Nominates New HUD Secretary for US Housing Department

Among the numerous federal agencies getting new leadership in 2025 is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Which plays a key role in many home transactions but doesn’t often see the limelight.

President-elect Donald Trump said in November he would nominate Scott Turner, a former Texas state representative and professional football player as the next housing secretary.

Turner is currently chief visionary officer for JPL, a Dallas-based housing developer. During Trump’s first presidency, Turner helped implement the opportunity zone program that provides tax credits for investing in housing and other development in low-income neighborhoods.

One of the ways the agency is important to many Americans is through the HUD Code that has regulated manufactured housing since 1976 to ensure they are safe. While other forms of housing are governed by state building codes, manufactured homes are in their own category because of their unique characteristics. A key distinction is that they are assembled in a factory and transported to their final destination and not built directly on the house site.

In a recent example of how the HUD can amend the code, the agency said in August it would allow manufactured housing to include up to four dwellings within a structure.

Few people move manufactured homes once they’ve been installed on a residential lot. With that in mind, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott. A Republican from South Carolina, is pushing legislation to remove a provision of the HUD Code that requires these homes to have a metal frame under them to support them when they are transported. The change would save homebuyers up to $10,000 according to one estimate, and allow more flexible floorplans.