HUD Sec. Ben Carson Talks Affordable Housing In Exclusive GPB Interview

The median home price in Georgia is on track to nearly double from 2012 prices in the coming years, and wages haven’t kept up. Georgia cities can be especially expensive. Atlanta rents have spiked in the past decade at the same time the number of units classified as affordable have been dropping. GPB’s Ross Terrell recently discussed housing costs with U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson when Carson was in Atlanta for a conference on emerging strategies to address affordable housing. During their one-on-one conversation, Carson acknowledged the problem and emphasized the country’s ability to innovate solutions. “First of all, we have to recognize that we do have a shortage of affordable housing, and it's reached a crisis stage but also recognize that Americans tend to be very innovative and very entrepreneurial,” Carson said. “What we really want to talk about are those things that are emerging that can solve this problem.” Carson acknowledged the role