Scott Turner, President-elect Donald Trump choice to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development, is a former NFL player who ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term.
Turner, 52, is the only Black person selected to be a member of the Republican’s Cabinet.
Here are some things to know about Turner:
From Professional Football to Politics
Turner grew up in a Dallas suburb, Richardson, and graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He was a defensive back and spent nine seasons in the NFL beginning in 1995, playing for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos.
During off-seasons, he worked as an intern then-Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif. After Turner retired in 2004, he worked full-time for the congressman. In 2006, Turner ran unsuccessfully as a Republican in California’s 50th Congressional District.
Turner joined the Texas House in 2013 as part of a large crop of Tea Party-supported lawmakers. He tried unsuccessfully to become speaker before he finished his second term in 2016. He did not seek a third term.
Motivational Speaker and Pastor
Turner also worked for a software company in a position called “chief inspiration officer” and said he acted as a professional mentor, pastor, and counselor for the employees and executive team. He has also been a motivational speaker.
Scott Turner is married to Robin Turner, who is a former educator and an advocate for community development. The Turners have a son, Solomon Turner, who is currently pursuing his college degree.
As a family, they are deeply rooted in their faith and community, often participating in church activities and outreach programs. Scott frequently speaks about the importance of his family as a source of strength and inspiration in his life, crediting Robin and Solomon for their unwavering support and grounding presence during his demanding career.
His church, Prestonwood Baptist Church, lists him as an associate pastor. He is also chair of the center for education opportunity at America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers to lay the groundwork if he won a second term.
Community Advocacy
After retiring from the NFL, Turner shifted his focus to public service, becoming a leading advocate for community development and economic empowerment. He founded several initiatives aimed at improving access to education, housing, and job opportunities in underserved communities. Turner’s approach emphasized collaboration between local governments, nonprofits, and private businesses to drive sustainable change.
Headed Council in Trump’s First Term
Trump introduced Turner in April 2019 as the head of the new White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. Trump credited Turner with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.”
The mission of the council was to coordinate with various federal agencies to attract investment to so-called “Opportunity Zones,” which were economically depressed areas eligible to be used for federal tax incentives.
Vision for HUD
According to the website knowinsiders.com, as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Turner is expected to focus on:
Expanding Affordable Housing:
Turner plans to address the growing housing crisis by increasing access to affordable housing, particularly for low-income families and veterans.
Promoting Public-Private Partnerships:
Drawing on his experience with Opportunity Zones, Turner aims to foster collaborations between government, nonprofits, and private developers to create sustainable housing solutions.
Revitalizing Urban Communities:
Turner’s leadership will prioritize urban renewal projects, focusing on infrastructure improvements, job creation, and access to quality education in underserved areas.
Homelessness Prevention:
Turner has expressed a commitment to reducing homelessness through comprehensive programs that address root causes such as mental health, substance abuse, and unemployment.
Economic Empowerment:
Turner believes that housing stability is intrinsically tied to economic mobility. His policies are expected to integrate housing initiatives with job training and education programs to help families achieve long-term financial independence.
The Role of HUD
HUD is responsible for addressing the nation’s housing needs. It also is charged with fair housing laws and oversees housing for the poorest Americans, sheltering more than 4.3 million low-income families through public housing, rental subsidy and voucher programs.
The agency, with a budget of tens of billions of dollars, runs a multitude of programs that do everything from reducing homelessness to promoting homeownership. It also funds the construction of affordable housing and provides vouchers that allow low-income families to pay for housing in the private market.
During the campaign, Trump focused mostly on the prices of housing, not public housing. He railed against the high cost of housing and said he could make it more affordable by cracking down on illegal immigration and reducing inflation. He also said he would work to reduce regulations on home construction and make some federal land available for residential construction.
Good information on Turner. Hopefully he is far enough away from #45/47 to not be crazy.
I am writing to you today in hopes of stopping an unfair foreclosure and eviction notice about to be served.
My mother, Ysabel Cobos was the owner of the house located at 5871 SW 12 Street West Miami Florida, 33144 until she passed away on Oct. 24th, 2016. My brother Andrew Cobos, who would take care of her in this very same home, passes away in 2018.
My name is Alexander Cobos, and I move into the Florida room (24X12) late in 2018, that was built later as an addition to the house, to take possession of the house. The rest of the house is filled with mold, termites and asbestos. Because I am the heir to the will, throughout the years I have tried writing to HUD about buying this house at a time when the house was falling apart, and the property values were much lower. Hurricane Irma had done severe damage to this house in 2017 and throughout the years, beginning in 2018 to date, I have been maintaining the property and trying to stop the water damage Irma left behind but continues to further damage this house. My issue is as follows; I feel I have been unjustly mistreated in bad faith by the law firm that handled this case and possibly discriminated against.
My mother’s house was foreclosed on 8 years later after her death when property values are now, sky high. According to the Statute of limitations, HUD had only 5 to 6 years to foreclose on a Reverse mortgage, foreclosure. Also, I was told by the law firm to do an appraisal on the house that came back at 433,000.00. When we went to mediation, the law firm representing HUD, Becker & Poliakoff P.A. stated that I could not buy the house for 95% of the appraised value, which is a HUD rule, and that the price for the house would be 766,000.00 because of the reverse mortgage charges and other fees. “This house is a gut down” said to me by the last appraiser who did the appraisal, in 2024.
I am writing to you today in my last quest to try to save a house that my parents worked very hard for us to live in and have been the only family to live in since 1965. Till this day I still live in the Florida room. I may be too late in writing this letter but because I feel my family has been unjustly mistreated and have had many sleepless nights, this is what has led me now to speak out and tell my story. I am now waiting for an eviction notice from HUD and would appreciate anything that can be done to stop this unfair treatment and save my family’s home.
Thank you and God bless,
Sincerely, Alexander Cobos (305) 305-4880