Kimo Rosario during an interview in April 2025 in his office on Capital Hill.
GOVERNOR David M. Apatang on Friday nominated special advisor for policy and programs Kimo M. Rosario to the Northern Marianas Housing Corporation board of directors.
In his appointment letter to Rosario, the governor said he and Lt. Gov. Dennis James Mendiola are confident that Rosario will uphold the mandates and goals of NMHC to further meet the need for decent, safe, and sanitary housing for individuals of low and moderate income, while also providing employment opportunities through housing development in the Commonwealth.
In a separate letter to Senate President Karl King-Nabors, the governor said he and the lieutenant governor are confident in Rosario’s leadership to uphold NMHC’s mandates and goals to help meet the housing needs of people with low and moderate income.
In an interview on Monday, Rosario said he is thankful to the governor and lieutenant governor for giving him the opportunity to once again serve on the NMHC board.
Rosario currently holds the position of special advisor for policy and programs with an annual salary of $85,000, while Clyde Norita was appointed by Governor Apatang as senior policy advisor, a position without compensation.
“Both positions exist in the Office of the Governor,” Rosario said.
He explained that his current role specifically involves leading the CNMI Disaster Recovery and Mitigation Infrastructure Working Group, which the late Gov. Arnold I. Palacios formed to “ramp up expenditures and speed up infrastructure projects funded by the various disaster recovery mitigation grants.”
Rosario previously served as an NMHC board member during the administration of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres. He later stepped down from the board to become program manager of NMHC’s Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery Program. He is also a former Public School System associate commissioner of administration.
