White House Nominates Matt Jones For HUD, FHA Leadership

President Donald Trump has nominated Matt Jones for two top housing roles. If confirmed by the Senate, Jones would become assistant secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and commissioner of the Federal Housing Administration.

Jones currently serves as HUD's deputy assistant secretary for single-family housing, a role he has held since March 2025. He would work under HUD Secretary Scott Turner. The nomination, sent to the Senate on Sept. 14, has been referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

Industry and Advocacy Support

The nomination has garnered significant support from major real estate and housing industry groups. The Mortgage Bankers Association endorsed Jones last week. Its CEO, Bob Broeksmit, stated that Jones brings an impressive combination of hands-on mortgage industry experience, deep knowledge of government housing finance, and a strong understanding of how FHA programs can better serve homebuyers, renters, and lenders.

Other backing organizations include the National Apartment Association, the National Association of Realtors, the National Housing Conference, and the National Council of State Housing Agencies.

Jones's Professional Background

Before his current role at HUD, Jones worked on government housing finance at the Mortgage Bankers Association. His earlier career includes a stint as a senior adviser at Amerifirst Home Mortgage.

He also has legislative experience. Jones worked briefly as senior counsel for the U.S. Senate Finance Committee and spent four years in the same role for the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

Role and Agency Context

As FHA commissioner, Jones would oversee the government's single-family, multifamily, and healthcare mortgage insurance programs. The nomination comes as HUD has been implementing several policy shifts aligned with White House priorities.

Recently, the agency updated rules to facilitate the use of private capital in public housing. It has also been involved in more contentious changes.

In May, HUD partially rolled back environmental review rules for large projects receiving federal funds. The previous month, HUD and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans to roll back energy-efficiency standards in building codes.

Earlier in the year, the agency notified landlords they had about 30 days to prove the citizenship status of approximately 200,000 tenants nationwide or risk losing federal aid. In February, HUD said it planned to stop families with mixed immigration status from receiving housing assistance.

The Senate is in session through Oct. 2 before a recess lasting through Election Day. It remains unclear if or when Jones's nomination will receive a committee vote.