Minneapolis (SD) – Abdi Warsame has made history in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after being appointed head of public housing management.

He became the first Somali to be appointed to that important position. The Minneapolis Public Housing Authority serves about 26,000 people, About a third of Minneapolis’s tenants are Somalis.

He told reporters on Wednesday, that the massive fire that broke out in November in a building on Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis, killing about five people, was the reason he was encouraged to go for housing management work.

Abdi Warsame was appointed after five months search of a new assistant manager, after Greg Russ, the former manager started a similar job in New York.

Warsame previously competed for the District 6 seat in the City Council and won, becoming the first Somali candidate to win district elections.

The Minneapolis City Council is expected to formally approve the appointment of Abdi Warsame in the next few weeks.