Ben Carson Trapped In Elevator At Affordable Housing Tour

Former neurosurgeon/ U.S. housing and urban development secretary Ben Carson got stuck in an elevator today (Apr. 12). Carson and six other individuals were stuck for about 20 minutes in Courtside Family Apartments, which are affordable housing developments in the Overtown area of Miami, Fla.

According to The Guardian, “…a rescue crew from the Miami-Dade fire department prised open the doors with a crowbar. Carson emerged smiling and immediately received an apology from the waiting former professional basketball player Alonzo Mourning, whose non-profit foundation teamed up with the Housing Trust Group of Miami to convert the six-story building into a flagship development featuring 84 apartments.”

Carson has been vocal about his disapproval of affordable housing complexes in the past, stating that “too many people” live in HUD’s and that he wanted to remove harmful materials from older units.

Donald Trump has plans to cut federal funding for affordable housing units. If Congress approves his budget, $6 billion (13 percent) of the housing and urban development department would be lost. In addition, the possible funding cuts would get rid of the Community Development Block Grant program, which has provided over $150 billion in resources to low-income housing developments.

Naturally, when Twitter caught wind that Carson was stuck in an elevator in an affordable housing complex, they decided to take the joke and run with it. Check out our favorite responses below.

Ben Carson holding press conference while stuck in public housing building elevator: “PUBLIC HOUSING IS IN GREAT SHAPE. CAN YOU HEAR ME?”

— Rex Huppke (@RexHuppke) April 12, 2017

Ben Carson: “I’m stuck!”
(Ten minutes later)
“Press a button, Ben.”
(Elevator moves)
Ben Carson: “Its a miracle!”

— Steve Marmel (@Marmel) April 12, 2017

They should’ve left Ben Carson in that elevator a few days to think about HUD cuts. Most wait years for affordable housing. @SecretaryCarson

— Cheri for the 197th (@CheriHonkala) April 12, 2017

Ben Carson being stuck in an elevator in a public housing building is God reminding us that she always has the last word.

— deray mckesson (@deray) April 12, 2017

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