Resident commissioner Yusuf Cabdi will serve as Board chair
SEATTLE—May 1, 2009—The Seattle Housing Authority Board of Commissioners has elected resident Yusuf Cabdi as Board Chair, in elections held during its annual meeting on Monday, April 20. John Littel was elected Vice Chair.
At the completion of the election, Cabdi thanked fellow commissioners and Seattle Housing Authority staff for their support. Speaking about his new role, Cabdi said, "As Chair, I would like to encourage a culture of understanding and mutual respect among the Board members and the management of Seattle Housing Authority. We may not agree on every issue that comes up for discussion, but we should all feel free to express our viewpoints on any issue that comes before us."
Executive Director Tom Tierney noted that it was uncommon for a housing authority to elect a resident commissioner as chair. "I am really looking forward to working with Yusuf Cabdi and believe that he will bring an important point of view to leadership of the Seattle Housing Authority," said Tierney.
Commissioner Cabdi is originally from Somalia. He has worked with Somali and Muslim family and housing issues since settling in Seattle in 2003. A resident of SHA's public housing, he was elected to be an at-large representative to a resident council in 2006.
He has also served as the Somali community representative in the East African Association and as a community support specialist with the Somali community. He is interested in developing programs that will foster the safe and productive lives of youth in low-income public housing.
John Littel noted that he is committed to being of service to all those who are served by the Housing Authority. Commissioner Littel serves as the political director for a Northwest trade union. He was previously assistant to the executive secretary of the Seattle Building Trades Council where he was responsible for negotiations and labor relations at the Seattle and King County Housing Authorities, among other local employers.
After the election other commissioners expressed their support for the two new officers as they assumed their roles. The two newly-elected officers assume their new roles immediately.