The search for the Milwaukee Housing Authority’s next boss is over.
The board of commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee picked Harold Ince Jr., the former executive director of the Flint Housing Commission, to lead the public housing agency.
Ince is stepping into power as the Housing Authority navigates rough waters. The agency, which provides housing assistance to more than 10,000 Milwaukee families, has faced accusations of financial trouble and mismanagement for years.
Last year, a review by the city comptroller found that the cash-strapped agency owes the city $5.1 million. A month prior, Housing Authority admitted it had misused $2.8 million in Section 8 rent assistance funds to cover cash needs in other parts of the agency.
Ince’s appointment follows a long, closely watched leadership shakeup. Former Housing Authority executive director Willie Hines, who led the agency since 2021, retired at the end of 2024 amid calls for his resignation.
The months-long search for Hines’ replacement began in January 2025, and Ince emerged as a finalist in early 2026.
Ince begins a 36‑month contract April 27, with a base salary of $220,000 and the opportunity to earn bonuses up to 10% his salary with board approval, according to his employment contract.
Here’s what we know about the Housing Authority’s new boss.
Who is Harold Ince?
Ince, who hails from Falmouth, Maine, has nearly 30 years of leadership experience in public and private real estate management, according to his resume.
Ince graduated from Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Connecticut, with a degree in management. He was the director of asset management for housing authorities in Meridan and New Haven, Connecticut, according to his LinkedIn.
Ince then became interim executive director of the Detroit Housing Commission from 2016 to 2018 and executive director of the Flint Housing Commission in Michigan from 2018 to 2024, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel previously reported.
Ince is currently suing the Flint Housing Commission for wrongful termination. His lawsuit alleges he became a target of the commission board president after authorizing an investigation into her conduct based an employee complaint, the Flint Journal reported.
Ince was placed on paid administrative leave in April 2024. The Flint Housing Commission Board of Commissioners terminated him nine months later. The City of Flint and the Flint Housing Commission have denied retaliating against Ince.
During his time at the Flint Housing Commission, Ince grew the commission’s funds by $1.8 million, the Journal Sentinel reported.
The board of commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee discussed Ince’s employment contract during a 15-minute closed session on April 15. After the end of the closed session, commissioners promptly approved the contract.
What are Ince’s top priorities?
The first item on Ince’s to-do list is to get his bearings on the Housing Authority’s current operations and priorities, said spokesperson Amy Hall.
“His goal is to bring stability, accountability, and a strong operational foundation that supports residents and positions the agency for long-term success,” Hall said in an email April 22.
Ince will be listening and learning from the Board of Commissioners, staff, residents and community partners, Hall said.
Hall said Ince will also advance the Housing Authority’s progress on its recovery agreement with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The agreement is a contract with the federal government to ensure the Housing Authority is addressing its issues with fiscal management and tenant services.
It came about after the Housing Authority failed a federal review in 2022 and was rated poorly in a 2024 on-site assessment.
Kenneth Barbeau, who has been filling in as interim director of the Housing Authority since January 2025, said in an interview April 20 that Ince will also help pick two key positions in executive leadership: the chief financial officer and the chief operations officer.
With those positions locked in, the Housing Authority will be on its way to improving its accounting and rein in expenses, Barbeau said.
Barbeau, who has been with the Housing Authority since 1999, said he plans to help Ince transition into the role and then retire later this year.
“We didn’t get into this overnight,” Barbeau said. “We’re not getting out of this overnight. We’re working our way through it.”
How does Ince’s pay compare to his predecessor?
Ince’s salary is $32,000 less than Hines’ 2023 salary. Hines was paid $252,000 – around $80,000 more than the Milwaukee mayor and the governor, the Journal Sentinel reported in 2024.
Ince is still being paid more than the mayor and governor. His $220,000 base salary is about $50,000 more than the mayor’s and $44,000 more than the governor’s.
Gina Castro is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be reached at gcastro@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New Milwaukee Housing Authority director will be paid $220,000
Reporting by Gina Lee Castro, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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