He’s the heart of the Housing Authority

New Executive Director Joseph A. Hart has arrived to oversee 300-plus public housing homes in Saugus

By Mark E. Vogler

After nearly 30 years working in the field of public housing – including the last decade as executive director of several different housing authorities – Joseph A. Hart seemed visibly excited about his new job overseeing more than 300 homes managed by the Saugus Housing Authority. “I don’t perceive a lot of things as challenges, as I’ve done them before,” Hart told The Saugus Advocate as he sat in his office at Heritage Heights on Talbot street, reflecting on his past career and his future.

Hart, 61, is finishing up his second week on the job. He said he still finds the work rewarding because “it’s gratifying helping people and working with people.”

What is the most difficult part of his job, Hart was asked. “The most challenging thing is when you have to evict people – usually for nonpayment of rent,” Hart answered.

“You do feel badly and you worry about what happens to the people and where they’re going to end up. At that point, you have given them chances and chances to get paid up. It would take six to nine months to evict someone for nonpayment of rent,” he said.

“But if people don’t pay, the program will not work. Most people are good people. You’re in the business of helping people, not evicting them,” he said.

The road to Saugus

Hart didn’t have much connection to Saugus, other than the time he spent over the years driving up and down Route 1. So, what influenced him to apply for the job opening at the Saugus Housing Authority?.

“The former executive director [Laura Glynn] asked if I would be interested and encouraged me to apply. So, I did,” Hart said.

“Laura has been very helpful, showing me the ropes here. She’s still here, a few hours a week, helping out and getting me situated,” he said.

“She was a good administrator and she’s helping me get settled in Saugus. It’s great to have somebody around to guide you. We have the same amount of years of experience as a housing authority executive director. I’ve known Laura for a few years from the conferences we’ve attended,” he said.

As it turned out, Hart was considered the overwhelming choice among eight candidates considered by Housing Authority members because of his experience. The authority members voted 4-0 to hire him in July after interviewing three finalists for the job. He will be paid $116,970-a-year for 37.5 hours per week through the term ending Dec. 31, 2026.

Hart worked about 17 years for the state Department of Housing and Community Development, first as an inspection coordinator and later as a housing management specialist. In February of 2014, he left the state Department of Housing and Community Development to become executive director of the Haverhill Housing Authority, where he worked for about eight years.

“It’s a unique perspective, seeing it from both sides,” Hart said, referring to the state bureaucracy that funds authorities and the authorities that directly serve tenants at housing authority properties.

Hart said he finds working as a housing authority director more rewarding “because you get a chance to see the impact of your work.”

“The state is like the wholesale side of business and the housing authority is like the retail business,” he said.

Hart was a Political Science major when he studied for his bachelor’s degree at the University of Massachusetts Boston. “After graduation, I needed to work. I learned of an opportunity in the state Department of Housing and Community Development,” Hart recalled.

“I took a low level job. I stuck with it, and here I am,” he said.

A lifelong Boston resident

Glynn, who worked more than a decade as the executive director of the Saugus Housing Authority, resigned in April of last year to spend more time taking care of her ailing father. She agreed to stay on in the transition weeks as needed to help Katelynn M. Lemieux prepare to be her replacement. Lemieux resigned in February of this year after just 10 months on the job. Glynn agreed to come back again to help manage the authority properties while the Housing Authority conducted another job search. Since Hart’s hiring, she has worked a few hours a week to assist with the transition.

Hart is married with two adult sons. He said he has no plans of leaving Boston and will commute to his job in Saugus, just as he has in the other communities where he’s worked as a housing authority executive director. “It’s really not that bad and it’s not that far away,” Hart said this week.

“In the morning, I see the cars stacked up, heading over the Tobin Bridge, but I’m on the other side, heading out of the city,” he said.

When he’s not working, Hart enjoys his family and life in Boston. He’s a baseball (Boston Red Sox) and hockey (Boston Bruins) fan. He also likes to golf and garden when he has time.

“Still making the rounds”

Hart’s job entails overseeing the properties that accommodate 313 households. They include 205 units of elderly disabled housing, 100 units of federal housing and eight units of family housing. In addition to the 100 units of federal housing at Heritage Heights on Talbot Street, the Housing Authority portfolio includes 85 units at Laurel Gardens and 100 units at Laurel Towers – both state-aided public housing – and eight units of state-aided family housing at Armitage Arms at 212 Essex St. And there are 20 units of state-aided elderly housing at Sweetser’s Corner on Baker Street.

In his interview this week, Hart said it’s too early to lay out his plans for improving the properties. “I’m still making the rounds, introducing myself and getting familiar with the people,” Hart said.

“So, I don’t have any plans at the moment. I need to learn what the capital needs of the buildings are, how the organizational chart is set up, and I need to get familiar with the policies that are in place,” he said.

How do you approach the job, while coming in cold? “You start by listening to people,” Hart said.

“That’s very important. That’s how you learn things. If people think you are someone they can trust, they’ll talk to you. You build trust by talking and listening to them,” he said.

At some point this fall, Hart will need to get involved in the crafting of the budget and capital improvement plan. The Annual Plan Hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Oct. 8 in the Community Room at Heritage Heights, 19 Talbot St.

“I still have to look at the capital planning for state-assisted property,” Hart said. “If the state starts running low on money, getting things done will be slower.”

“At this point, you can’t get too ambitious. You just have to stick with the nuts and bolts and make sure the basics are taken care of before you look for the fancy stuff,” he said.

Hart said he’s monitoring reports that the federal government “may be rolling back on the subsidies for the federal properties.”

“It looks like something is going to happen. We don’t know yet. You have to continue what you’re doing until something changes and you need to make adjustments,” he said.

Residents have warmed up to Hart as he walks around the Housing Authority properties. At Heritage Heights – where the Housing Authority administrative offices are based – some residents enjoying the weather outside wished him well on Monday.

“I’m hoping that he does a fantastic job for this facility and the other facilities,” said Ellen Santosuosso, who has been a Housing Authority resident since 2013.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had strong leadership here. Let’s see how he does,” she said.

The Joseph A. Hart Resume

  (Following are highlights from application material submitted by Joseph A. Hart to The Saugus Housing Authority.)

EXPERIENCE

• Deputy Executive Director, Milford Housing Authority – August 2023–January 2025. Assisted Executive Director with management of medium housing authority with 271 state-aided public housing units, 65 federal public housing units and 556 Section 8 vouchers. Assisted with management of Mendon Housing Authority with 30 state units. Supervised 15 employees in program administration and maintenance.
• Executive Director, Rockport Housing Authority – April 2022–January 2023. Managed a medium housing authority with 104 state-aided public housing units and 157 Section 8 vouchers. Supervised two administrative staff and two maintenance staff. Served as chief procurement officer and payroll and benefits coordinator.
• Executive Director, Haverhill Housing Authority – February 2014–November 2021. Managed a large housing authority with 500 apartments at 10 sites. Also managed 500 rental assistance vouchers, including Section 8. Oversaw a $4 million annual budget while supervising 15 employees in program administration and maintenance. Also managed Groveland Housing Authority under contract with 58 federal public housing units and three state family units.
• Housing Management Specialist, state Department of Housing and Community Development – August 2002–February 2014. Assisted Housing Authorities with operational guidance and regulatory compliance. Provided advice for best practices for management, operations, maintenance and construction. Reviewed budgets and operating statements.
• Inspection Coordinator, state Department of Housing and Community Development – November 1997–July 2002. Provided logistics, reporting and communications for five-person state-wide housing inspection team. Designed inspection reporting database. Performed state public housing inspections.

EDUCATION

• University of Massachusetts Boston, B.A. Economics and Political Science