The turnaround at one of Honolulu’s most notorious housing projects is due in no small part to the get-tough policies of the state official who oversees the place, but the changing attitudes of the people who live at Mayor Wright Homes are equally important.

Most residents of the Kalihi-Palama complex welcomed stricter security measures, and have been rewarded with a more peaceful ambience than has existed in years.

The Honolulu Police Department documents an overall 50 percent drop in crime since Hawaii Public Housing Authority Executive Director Hakim Ouansafi implemented sweeping changes in 2012.

The number of murders fell from two to zero, aggravated assaults fell from six to one, robberies fell from four to two and car thefts from three to one.

Likewise, nonviolent offenses that nonetheless affected the quality of life in the complex also are way down: Nuisance complaints have dropped from 74 to 20, drunken nuisance cases from six to three and property-damage cases from 22 to 11.

These improvements no doubt reflect the stringent security in place now at Mayor Wright Homes:

» Higher, steel fences surround the property;

» Guards at both entrances check motorists for the proper tenant IDs and vehicle registration, deterring trespassers and unwanted visitors;

» Security guards on bicycles traverse the grounds quickly.

Ouansafi said occupancy is at 99.5 percent, up from 75 percent in January 2012, because people are no longer afraid to live there.

A few residents and other observers say the security measures have gone too far, restricting everyday freedoms and leaving some of the poverty-stricken residents afraid to speak up.

Housing officials acknowledge that they’ve received a few complaints, but largely dismiss them.

Rather than dismissing these concerns, though, housing officials would do well to fully address them. More than 1,000 people live in the 364 units of Hawaii’s second-largest public housing complex, while another 10,000 low-income families are on waiting lists for public housing throughout Oahu.

Mayor Wright’s 20-acre complex of three-story buildings is in line for redevelopment as part of Oahu’s huge rail-transit project, situated as it is near a planned rail stop. Any reconstruction is years away, and Ouansafi has assured residents that they will be part of the discussion when it unfolds.

Still, worried questions now from residents are inevitable — and understandable. Soliciting their ideas about how to further improve and expand access to low-cost housing could enhance living conditions at Mayor Wright just as the beefed-up security has.

Come Jan. 1, even more restrictive policies are set to take effect: One new law allows the criminal trespassing arrest of anyone caught on the grounds after hours who is not a tenant or a guest of one.

Another prohibits open liquor containers in Mayor Wright’s public areas.

Ouansafi said most crimes at the complex start with groups of people drinking, "which gets out of hand and leads to fights."

When it comes to public housing, he contends, safety comes first.

It’s hard to argue with that reasoning in light of HPD’s report on the improvements at Mayor Wright Homes, and the wide support from residents for the stricter policies there. Still, it’s important to remember — and to remind housing officials — that the goal should always be to control crime, not to control tenants.