Former homeless chief takes post at IHS

Marc Alexander, who resigned last month as state coordinator for homelessness initiatives, has been hired as director of development for the Institute for Human Services, the Iwilei-based homeless service provider announced Friday.

"We’re very excited to have Marc on board with us in this new role. He brings a wealth of knowledge about the nonprofit sector and will be a real asset to IHS," IHS Executive Director Connie Mitchell said in a news release.

Alexander said in the release, "IHS is a top-notch agency who follows best practices in helping both the homeless and those who are at-risk. I had the opportunity to work closely with them during my time with the state and was impressed with their outcome reporting and service delivery. I’m very happy to be joining their team."

IHS spokeswoman Kate Record said Alexander will start his new job next week and that he was not available for interviews Friday. Alexander could not be reached for comment.

The Governor’s Office announced Jan. 5 that Alexander was resigning Jan. 6 "to attend to personal matters." The state later acknowledged receiving an allegation that Alexander had had a sexual relationship with a woman while he was a priest.

Alexander, in a letter to Hawaii News Now last month, said, "I resigned when the news of an affair I had with a consenting adult woman, while I was an ordained member of the Catholic priesthood, became public. Clearly, my conduct violated my vows of celibacy, which I deeply regret."

Alexander had been the point man for Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s ambitious plan to end homelessness in 10 years.

Alexander left a long career in the priesthood and resigned as vicar general of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hono­­lulu before being appointed to the newly created job of homeless coordinator on Jan. 20, 2011.