Arizona’s Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego has thrown his support behind a bold Trump administration plan to tackle the housing crisis using federal lands, Breitbart reported on Thursday.
As a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Gallego’s endorsement signals a rare bipartisan alignment on an issue critical to hardworking Americans struggling with soaring home prices. His move underscores the urgency of addressing housing shortages in states like Arizona, where federal lands dominate the landscape.
Gallego’s backing focuses on a Trump administration initiative to convert underused federal properties into viable housing developments. The plan, led by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, aims to ease the nation’s housing shortage while respecting environmental and tribal concerns. Gallego’s support comes as a pragmatic nod to a solution that could unlock affordable homes for families.
The senator expressed his approval in a letter to Turner and Burgum, who helm the Joint Task Force on Federal Land for Housing. He praised the task force’s formation as a practical step toward addressing the housing supply crisis. With 38% of Arizona’s land under federal control, the state stands to benefit significantly from the initiative.
Gallego’s letter outlined key concerns to ensure the task force operates responsibly. He requested details on how the task force will maintain transparency in its operations and conduct a thorough inventory of federal lands.
Additionally, he emphasized the need for coordination with agencies like the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The senator also stressed the importance of respecting tribal sovereignty in any development plans. He urged the task force to engage meaningfully with local, state, and tribal communities to ensure housing projects meet their unique needs. This balanced approach reflects a commitment to practical progress without sacrificing core values.
Gallego’s endorsement aligns with the task force’s stated goals, as outlined by Turner and Burgum in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.
They promised to consider environmental impacts and support infrastructure necessary for sustainable housing development. Their vision prioritizes affordability, a critical concern for families priced out of the market.
The task force’s leaders have pledged to identify federal lands suitable for housing while carefully assessing environmental restrictions. “Interior will identify locations that can support homes while considering environmental impact,” Turner and Burgum wrote.
This assurance addresses fears that development could harm Arizona’s natural beauty or sacred tribal lands.
Gallego echoed these sentiments, cautioning against reckless land sales for private gain. “I don’t want to see plots of land in our beautiful national forests sold for some rich guy’s ranch,” he told Semafor. His stance reassures conservatives who value both economic growth and environmental stewardship.
The initiative’s potential hinges on the vast federal land holdings often overlooked by bureaucrats. Dan Kish, a former House Natural Resources Committee staffer, highlighted the opportunity to repurpose valuable parcels near metro areas. “The federal government holds relatively valuable parcels close to metro areas that they’ve got by default,” Kish told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Kish dismissed critics who fear the plan amounts to selling off national parks, calling such claims exaggerated. “There’s gonna be people who scream bloody murder and say they’re selling off the national parks, but that’s hyperbole,” he said. His perspective aligns with the task force’s focus on underused, not iconic, federal properties.
The task force aims to transfer or lease federal lands to states or localities, enabling housing development with affordability at its core. Turner and Burgum emphasized supporting infrastructure to make these projects viable. This practical approach resonates with conservatives who favor local control over federal overreach.
Gallego’s willingness to collaborate with the task force signals his commitment to results over partisanship. “I want to work on it,” he told Semafor. His proactive stance could pave the way for bipartisan cooperation on a pressing issue.