Public Housing Authority will welcome new chief

A former hotel industry executive has been named to lead the state’s public housing agency.

Board members of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority voted unanimously to appoint Hakim Ouansafi as executive director effective Jan. 3.

Ouansafi replaces Denise Wise, who resigned in October for personal reasons. He will become the ninth executive director in 15 years to lead the agency, which has struggled to maintain its inventory of more than 6,000 public housing units at roughly 80 sites statewide.

The agency suggested that its selection of a new leader with excellent management skills and an application that "really stood out" demonstrates its commitment to improvement and change.

Ouansafi is volunteer chairman of the Muslim Association of Hawaii and has been a hotel industry executive and a consultant on commercial and residential real estate development projects since moving to Hawaii 13 years ago from California. Ouansafi also is a board member of the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation’s Hawaii chapter and a civil service commissioner for the city and county.