Honolulu to get new affordable housing chief

State Finance Director Craig Hirai will be joining the city of Honolulu in a new position known as chief of affordable housing policy and strategy, it was announced today.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said in the announcement that the city will be doubling down on its commitment to the development of affordable housing with the appointment of a recognized expert in the field.

“We know that Craig will help us considerably when it comes to making the necessary and critical adjustments to better serve the public, and we’re thrilled that he has decided to join us here at the city,” Blangiardi said.

Hirai has been director of the state’s Department of Budget and Finance since 2019. Prior to that, he was the executive director of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation from 2013 to 2019 and co-chair of the Hawaii Interagency Council for Transit-Oriented Development from 2016 to 2019.

In his new job with the city’s Department of Planning and Permitting, Hirai will oversee the city’s private activity bond (PAB) and general excise tax (GET) exemption programs. He’ll also be charged with leading the city’s affordable housing infrastructure working group, which aims to better align the city’s initiatives with the state’s affordable housing programs.

He will start with the city Dec. 1.

Hirai has accounting degrees from the University of Southern California and University of Pennsylvania. He also has law degrees from the University of California Hastings College of the Law and the New York University School of Law.