NPR's Morning Edition on Tuesday touted how many "anti-poverty advocates across the political spectrum" are now "worried" after President-Elect Donald Trump picked Dr. Ben Carson to be secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Correspondent Pam Fessler spotlighted how "advocates fear the worst — that it will lead to deep cuts in programs to reduce homelessness, and to subsidize affordable housing." However, Fessler didn't mention that her first "advocate" worked in the Obama administration, and the second donated to his presidential campaign.
Host Rachel Martin led into the correspondent's report by noting the "mixed reactions" to the Carson nomination. She continued that "yes, he's a retired neurosurgeon and former Republican presidential candidate; but Carson has no experience with housing programs. Carson himself points to his experience growing up in an inner city as preparation for the job."
Fessler first underlined that "HUD is one of those agencies that doesn't get a lot of attention, despite doing some important work. It has...an annual budget of about $46 billion. Much of that is spent to support poor families and to help distressed neighborhoods." She played her sole clip from a Carson supporter, Pam Patenaude, whom she identified as "an assistant secretary of HUD during the George W. Bush administration."
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The NPR journalist then pointed out Dr. Carson's "upbringing in Detroit," where he was "raised in poverty by a single mother before working his way up to becoming an accomplished surgeon;" and included a brief soundbite from the former Republican presidential candidate. She spent the remainder of the segment playing her four clips from her two "advocates" — Diane Yentel, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition; and Maria Foscarinis of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.
Fessler introduced her second soundbite from Yentel by recounting how the "advocate" underlined that "neither Trump, nor Carson, said much about housing during the campaign; and she finds what little she's heard troubling." The correspondent also highlighted that "many fair housing advocates say the [1968 Fair Housing Act] was haphazardly enforced prior to the Obama administration. But the current rule, which links funding to desegregation, has met stiff resistance from conservatives."
The journalist used her "deep cuts" line later in the segment, just before the sole clip from Foscarinis. The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty leader continued in this vein by hyping that "only one in four of those who are poor enough to be eligible for federal housing assistance actually receives it because there are simply not enough resources. So, further cuts would clearly be devastating." Fessler added that Foscarinis and "others think that's a strong possibility, given Trump's promise to cut both taxes and domestic spending."
Fessler never mentioned that until 2011, Yentel worked in the Obama administration — specifically, HUD itself — as director of the Public Housing Management and Occupancy Division. She also left out Foscarinis's monetary support to President Obama's presidential campaign in 2008. However, the correspondent had no problem mentioning Patenaude's work for the Bush administration.
The full transcript of Pam Fessler's report from NPR's Morning Edition on December 6, 2016:
RACHEL MARTIN: We know President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Dr. Ben Carson to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development; but that selection is drawing mixed reactions. Yes, he's a retired neurosurgeon and former Republican presidential candidate; but Carson has no experience with housing programs. Carson himself points to his experience growing up in an inner city as preparation for the job.
NPR's Pam Fessler reports.
PAM FESSLER: HUD is one of those agencies that doesn't get a lot of attention, despite doing some important work. It has 8,000 employees, and an annual budget of about $46 billion. Much of that is spent to support poor families and to help distressed neighborhoods.
Pam Patenaude, an assistant secretary of HUD during the George W. Bush administration, says someone with Carson's profile will bring a much-needed spotlight to the agency.
PAM PATENAUDE, FORMER ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT: He's a great communicator; and, most importantly, I think — you know, Dr. Carson understands the impact that poverty has. And it's the definition of the American dream.
FESSLER: Indeed, when he was asked about his lack of housing expertise a couple of weeks ago on Fox's Your World With Neil Cavuto, Carson brought up his own upbringing in Detroit. He was raised in poverty by a single mother before working his way up to becoming an accomplished surgeon.
DR. BEN CARSON (from interview on Fox News Channel's Your World With Neil Cavuto): And have dealt with a lot of patients from that area — and recognize that we cannot have a strong nation if we have weak inner cities.
FESSLER: It's a sentiment shared by anti-poverty advocates across the political spectrum; but some of them are worried about how Carson would address the problem, if he's confirmed.
DIANE YENTEL, NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION: We know very little about his outlook on housing, given his lack of experience in that area.
FESSLER: Diane Yentel is president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. She notes that neither Trump, nor Carson, said much about housing during the campaign; and she finds what little she's heard troubling.
YENTEL: And that's related to fair housing.
FESSLER: Yentel notes that Carson wrote an op-ed last year criticizing the Obama administration's stepped up enforcement of the 1968 Fair Housing Act, which is intended to reduce segregation. Carson compared the effort to — quote, 'failed socialist experiments,' such as school busing.
YENTEL: If, under this administration, they choose to really actively roll back their oversight, they could do some real harm.
FESSLER: Many fair housing advocates say the law was haphazardly enforced prior to the Obama administration. But the current rule, which links funding to desegregation, has met stiff resistance from conservatives.
Carson has also complained that low-income families are too dependent on government aid. He said that it's the American people's job, not the government's, to care for the needy. It's not clear what this would mean for HUD, but advocates fear the worst — that it will lead to deep cuts in programs to reduce homelessness, and to subsidize affordable housing.
Maria Foscarinis heads the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.
MARIA FOSCARINIS, NATIONAL LAW CENTER ON HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY: Right now, only one in four of those who are poor enough to be eligible for federal housing assistance actually receives it because there are simply not enough resources. So, further cuts would clearly be devastating.
FESSLER: She and others think that's a strong possibility, given Trump's promise to cut both taxes and domestic spending. They hope that Carson's rag-to-riches background will make him more understanding that stable housing is an important step to getting ahead. Pam Fessler, NPR News, Washington.
