Town Election 2025 – John Chipouras wins three-candidate race to fill four-year term on the Saugus Housing Authority

By Mark E. Vogler

During his political campaign, Precinct 7 Town Meeting Member John Chipouras cited his longtime involvement in Saugus town government on various volunteer boards as a major edge he had over the other two candidates seeking a four-year term on the Housing Authority.

During Tuesday’s town election, voters chose Chipouras as the most qualified of the three people on the ballot. He defeated fellow Town Meeting member Kristi Talagan of Precinct 8 by an official tally of 1,366 to 1,071 votes. Talagan finished runner-up four years ago to longtime authority member William Stewart, who decided in September not to file his nomination papers for another term. Darleen Marie L’Heureux, a Housing Authority tenant who said she was encouraged to run by Stewart, finished a distant third in the race with 650 votes.

Chipouras was elected to a sixth two-year term to his Precinct 7 Town Meeting seat. He served previously as a member of the Saugus Playground Commission and the Saugus Retirement Board.

In the waning days of the campaign, Chipouras was so concerned about a false public perception on social media that he was a newcomer to Saugus politics that he emailed a note to the Advocate Newspapers: “Please state this week, John is not new to politics.”

Chipouras actually has far more experience than his two opponents combined. Talagan, who served the final year of an unexpired term of a Precinct 8 Town Meeting member, was elected to her first full term on the Town Meeting. L’Heureux is a newcomer to town who ran in her first town political race.

Chipouras, a former Blue Cross Blue Shield systems manager, says his penchant for transparency and history of following through on issues qualifies him for a seat on the Housing Authority. “I’m not afraid to talk to people,” he said in a recent interview, “and I’m not afraid for them to come to me and ask me things.”

Chipouras said he’d like to demystify the waitlist system for potential tenants. “If I do something, I’m going to go all in,” he said, describing himself as personable but persistent. “People come to me and automatically feel like I’m easy to talk to, and I’m going to dig in.”

Chipouras has been a resident of Saugus for 37 years with his wife Cathy. They have a son, Christian, and a daughter, Karina.

The Housing Authority’s five-person board sets policy and oversees public housing for seniors, people with disabilities, veterans and low-income families. The Authority also votes on budgets and projects, enforces eligibility rules and oversees services across its developments. One seat is reserved for a tenant under state law. The Authority hired Joseph A. Hart as executive director in August.

Chipouras offered the following comment to The Saugus Advocate regarding his victory in the town election.

“I want to thank all the Saugus Voters for electing me to the 4 year term with the Housing Authority!!

“I would also like to thank the Saugus Advocate for all the great articles that were published in the Advocate!!

“The support that the residents of Saugus gave me was overwhelming!!

“I made so many new friends!!

“Hard work pays off!!

“Also congratulations to all the candidates in the overall election!!

“If you won or lost in the election, you have shown how much Saugus means to you!!

“I was also re-elected to the Town Meeting Member Precinct 7!!

“I am very proud to be part of Saugus!!”