More Reports of Trouble at the Top of HUD

Another in a string of detailed exposés on the working conditions and policy agenda of the Department of Housing and Urban Development under the leadership of Secretary Ben Carson.

2 minute read

March 6, 2018, 5:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


HUD

Mark Van Scyoc / Shutterstock

Glenn Thrush paints a less-than-flattering portrait of the the Department of Housing and Urban Development under the leadership of Secretary Ben Carson.

Thrush lists a collection of pressure points that have rendered Secretary Carson largely ineffective and ineffectual. 

"Mr. Carson’s own lapses in judgment — combined with the questionable behavior of his family and his reluctance to aggressively engage Mr. Trump — have left him at the margins of the cabinet," writes Thrush. Also, Secretary Carson "has been whipsawed by a job he has found puzzling and frustrating — so much so that he considered quitting during recent wrangling over the department’s budget." Finally, Secretary Carson "has not yet been able to get serious buy-in from Mr. Trump or secure commitments from his staff on the programs he favors, especially his plan to create thousands of community centers geared toward fostering self-sufficiency."

Ethics issues, conflicts with other high-ranking Trump appointees, and an embarrassing episode involving a $31,000 dining room set are all presented as evidence for those storylines.

Meanwhile, Secretary Carson's grand vision for establishing HUD "as a ladder out of dependency for the working poor" is languishing. "Increasingly, he is staking that legacy on a single program, the so-called EnVision Centers project," according to Thrush, but Secretary Carson hasn't been able to attract more than $2 million in funding for the next year from his boss in the White House. According to Thrush's explanation of the program, Secretary Carson is pushing to create some 3,000 EnVision Centers over the next three to five years, "to provide low-income families, especially young people, with one-stop access to educational, job training, mentorship and health care services." 

Lots more anecdotes and insight, as well as sources for this insider information, are listed in the article. This isn't the first time Secretary Carson's tenure at HUD has been called into question. The Thrush article is the latest installment in what's becoming a genre of news coverage—reports of low morale and other negative press directed toward Cabinet members and other executive leadership in the Trump Administration.

Monday, March 5, 2018 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view of red brick multi-story power plant building in Pittsburgh, PA.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower

A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

July 4 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Cyclist on protected bike lane in middle of street in Washington D.C. with Washington Monument obelisk visible in background.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”

The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

July 4 - Streetsblog USA

Blue and silver Amtrak train at small station.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train

The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.

July 3 - New Orleans City Business