Carson Op-Ed Lays Out the Trump Agenda for HUD

Ben Carson has penned an op-ed that lays out the ideology driving the Trump Administration's approach to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

1 minute read

September 22, 2017, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


HUD

Mark Van Scyoc / Shutterstock

Secretary Ben Carson has contributed an opinion piece to The Hill, in which he lays out his agenda for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The headline of the opinion piece: "We're changing HUD from a bureaucracy to an efficient organization." That line alone would seem to frame the op-ed as a response and reframing of the "dismantling of the administrative state" narrative built by New York magazine reporter Alex McGillis in a scathing article published in August.

In the opinion piece, Secretary Carson begins by expressing his support for the mission of HUD, and that he and his team are working toward improvements that will better deliver on those goals. "I’ve spent the last seven months investigating which HUD initiatives work best, which ones need reform, and which could be putting taxpayer dollars to better use," writes Secretary Carson, and the results is a plan he boils down to "three Rs."

  1. Reimagine the way HUD works.
  2. Restore the American dream.
  3. Rethink American communities.

Although Secretary Carson elaborates on these Rs in concept, there are no mentions of dollar figures or specific programs.

Wednesday, September 20, 2017 in The Hill

Young Professional

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 and Environmental 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 and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

A pencil rendering of Foundry Park, which shows skyscrapers and public green spaces.

Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment

The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.

October 23, 2026 - Chicago Sun Times

A swamp in South Carolina with tall pale trees and Spanish moss in the water.

Satanic Place Names

From streams and lakes to valleys and canyons, I mapped more than 1,000 places named after the Devil.

2 hours ago - The Daily Yonder

A rendering of a high speed rain station in California, with wide platforms and a sleep train with yellow highlights.

California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal

Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.

October 30 - Cal Matters

 A bridge stretches across the Missouri River at Chamberlain, South Dakota.

Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states

Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.

October 30 - South Dakota Searchlight