Abdi Warsame has resigned from the Minneapolis City Council to take over as executive director of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority.
Warsame resigns from Minneapolis council, will take helm of housing authority
He will now lead the Public Housing Authority.
March 31, 2020 at 1:05AM
Warsame, the city's first Somali-American council member, will begin his new job Tuesday and receive a salary of $178,782, according to housing authority spokesman Jeff Horwich.
Warsame submitted his one-page resignation letter to City Clerk Casey Carl on Monday. In it, he thanked council members, Mayor Jacob Frey, his aides and constituents.
"I have built many relationships that will last well beyond my departure as your council member," he said in the letter. "Ward 6 is my home and I have no greater privilege than to be able to fight on behalf of my friends and neighbors for solutions to the issues we care about."
After a five-month search, a committee recommended Warsame for the new role, and he received approval from the Housing Authority's board in January.
His appointment was delayed while the authority waited to hear if the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development would waive conflict-of-interest rules that prohibit most housing agencies from hiring public officials while they are in office or for one year afterward. The authority received that waiver earlier this month.
The City Council gave its final approval during a meeting Friday morning.
Frey will also approve Warsame's selection, according to spokesman Mychal Vlatkovich.
It would also set a filing period for interested candidates. Carl will present a timeline and key dates at the next council meeting Friday.
Warsame told his colleagues last week that he was getting teary-eyed.
"It has been a great honor to be a council member in Minneapolis. It has been very tough as well, but it has been a wonderful time," he said.
He added later: "I will try to do my best to serve the people in public housing in our city and look forward to working with each one of you."
Staff writer Miguel Otárola contributed to this report.
Liz Navratil • 612-673-4994
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