WATCH: What Will the ‘Inexperienced’ Dr. Ben Carson Do As HUD Secretary?

Dr. Ben Carson recently appeared before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee to speak at his confirmation hearing to lead the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Senator Mike Crapo referenced a letter of support for Dr. Carson from Bart Harvey, former chairman and CEO of Enterprise Community Partners (a non-profit that helps create affordable housing for low- and mid-income people). Harvey praised Dr. Carson’s charitable work to help send disadvantaged kids to college.

Sen. Crapo asked the former neurosurgeon how his experiences with communities surrounding Johns Hopkins University and through his scholarship fund would help him run HUD.

Dr. Carson said he’s interacted with a lot of people in Baltimore, particularly east Baltimore, and understands their housing needs. Many of his patients came from that environment. He saw children with lead poisoning and what it did to them intellectually and medically, as well as children with asthma. Dr. Carson said that “if he can give those people hope, then they can move out of that situation.”

Giving them hope starts with giving them a safe and productive environment, he added. Dr. Carson said he’s already looked at some of those places in Baltimore and spoken with housing commissioners in D.C. and Atlanta and mayors who’ve invited him to look at their communities — the good and the bad.

Watch the brief clip for more.