During a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Thursday, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner faced pointed questions from Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York about his department's response to record-high homelessness numbers in the United States.

The exchange became heated when Turner repeatedly referenced policies from the previous Biden administration while answering questions about current results under his leadership. The confrontation highlighted ongoing tensions between Congress and the Trump administration's approach to addressing the nation's affordable housing crisis.

What the Left Is Saying

Gillibrand pressed Turner for specific data on homelessness reduction during his tenure, which began in February 2025. She noted that HUD's latest point-in-time count showed more than 770,000 people experiencing homelessness nationwide — the highest recorded figure in U.S. history.

"So what is your record? You had this job for well over a year. I just want to know, did you get the number down?" Gillibrand asked Turner during the hearing.

The New York senator expressed frustration when Turner cited government funding levels from the previous administration rather than outlining his own plans. She told him directly: "Stop talking about Biden, talk about your record."

Gillibrand also criticized Turner for delayed release of HUD's annual homeless report, which she said hampered congressional oversight. "You're in charge, you have a vision," she stated. "Let's see it. Let's see the results."

She described witnessing homeless children rely on Girl Scout troops as their only source of stability, telling Turner: "I need to know if your stuff is working."

What the Right Is Saying

Turner defended his record and criticized the approach taken by previous administrations. The former NFL player and Texas Republican state representative argued that established policies had failed before he arrived at HUD.

"The plays that were ran before I got here, they failed," Turner said during the hearing.

Turner has been an outspoken critic of the "Housing First" policy implemented under Biden, which prioritized providing permanent housing to homeless individuals before connecting them with services. On Thursday, he reiterated his position: "The Housing First model failed."

Regarding the delayed release of HUD's point-in-time report, Turner attributed it to the 43-day government shutdown in the fall. He maintained that his administration is pursuing a different approach to addressing homelessness.

"I thank God that I'm in charge so we can do stuff differently," he said during the hearing.

What the Numbers Show

HUD's 2024 point-in-time report documented approximately 770,000 people experiencing homelessness in the United States at a single point in time — the highest figure since data collection began.

The report identified several contributing factors to the record numbers: worsening national affordable housing crisis, rising inflation, stagnating wages among middle- and lower-income households, and persistent effects of systemic racism on housing access.

Turner noted that funding for homelessness programs reached historic levels under the previous administration while simultaneously acknowledging the increase in street homelessness during that period.

The delayed 2025 report has not yet been released. HUD officials have cited the federal government shutdown as a contributing factor to the delay, though such reports were previously published on schedule.

The Bottom Line

The confrontation reflects broader tensions between Congress and executive agencies over accountability for policy outcomes. Gillibrand's frustration centered on Turner's apparent unwillingness to own current homelessness statistics rather than attribute them to predecessors.

Turner has signaled significant departures from Biden-era housing policies, particularly regarding the Housing First approach. His critics argue that dismantling existing frameworks without a fully developed alternative could disrupt services vulnerable populations depend on.

Congress will likely continue pressing Turner for data on measurable outcomes. Without the delayed point-in-time report, lawmakers say they lack essential information to evaluate current administration strategies and appropriate resources accordingly.