HUD secretary visits Alaska to address rural housing needs

HUD Secretary Scott Turner met with Alaska leaders to discuss the issue of homelessness. Turner said, “outdated rules and red tape make it harder and more expensive to build homes in rural and tribal communities.” “We have been very intentional about streamlining our processes, about taking down burdensome regulations, about taking out the duplicity when it pertains to grants, when it pertains to our processes and getting resources out of the door,” Turner said. He also shared that they are looking to meet the state's infrastructure needs to address climate demands. Turner is actively working on leveraging Opportunity Zones to bring more private investment into Alaska's rural and tribal communities. The goal is to help build affordable housing and support local economic growth.