HOLLYWOOD — U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Tuner toured the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Native Learning Center in Hollywood on April 10.

The tour was led by Georgette Smith, Native Learning Center Executive Director, and Kyle Doney, Native Learning Center Deputy Director. Tuner visited the center and watched a brief slideshow about what it does.

The visit marked Turner’s first trip to a Native American tribe as Secretary.

“I am very impressed, and I’m encouraged,” Turner said. “There’s a great intentionality here to take care of the tribal nations from housing to home, to financial literacy, to training this generation and the next. And so that’s very encouraging to me as a steward of HUD to see that the resources that are being used here are very deliberate and detailed, and I’m so happy that I came.”

Tuner is a former state representative from Texas. He graduated from the University of Illinois and played in the NFL before he embarked on a political career. In November 2024, he was nominated by then President-elect Donald Trump to lead HUD.

“I thought it was very successful,” Smith said about the visit. “His enthusiasm just makes us feel that positive outcomes for the future of Indian Country’s housing programs are definitely something that he’s going to prioritize, so we are very happy about that.”

“It was a great to see a strong interest in Indian Country in HUD overall, so we’re very thankful and we really appreciate Secretary Tuner’s visit,” Doney said.

At the end of the tour, Doney gave Turner a sweetgrass basket made by Mary Sally Osceola. It was donated by Doney and Jojo Osceola.

The NLC helps Indian Country by providing in-person and webinar training opportunities and technical assistance for Native Americans, tribes and others working within Indian Country in areas such as affordable housing, financial literacy, promoting self-sufficiency and more.