Board of Commissioners

Meet our Board of Commissioners

The LHA is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners, made up of a housing authority resident, as well as a member appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts and three members who are appointed by the Lowell City Manager and confirmed by the Lowell City Council. Additionally, as directed by the City Council, one member must be a representative of an organized labor union.

The five-member LHA Board of Commissioners oversees the LHA’s overall direction. Board members approve all significant contract awards, budget decisions, formal submissions to state and federal funding agencies, planning and reporting documents, major policy decisions, and many other important matters.

The LHA’s Board of Commissioners meets monthly, on the second Wednesday of each month. Board meetings are held in the Board Room of The Mercier Center at 21 Salem Street. Commissioners are appointed for five year terms. The City Council has determined that no commissioner shall be appointed to serve more than two terms, or ten years.

The following are the current members of the Lowell Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners:

Mony Var

Chairman

Appointment 7-1-2023 | Term Ending 6-30-2028

Chairman Mony Var joined the Board in 2021 and currently serves on the Finance Subcommittee. Commissioner Var is a longtime resident of Lowell and President and Owner of Mony Var Insurance agency, servicing Boston and Lowell. Chairman Var previously served on the Lowell Election Commission.

Rodney Elliott

Vice-Chairman, State Appointee

Appointment 1-31-2022 | Term Ending 1-14-2025

Vice-Chairman Rodney Elliott, a lifelong resident of the City of Lowell, joined the Board in 2022. He currently serves as the State Representative for the 16th Middlesex District, and he formerly served as the Mayor and a City Councilor for the City of Lowell. Prior to being the State House Representative, Rodney was the Assistant Regional Director with the State Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). He also served for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for over 25 years as Director of Brownfield’s Redevelopment, Superfund Community Involvement Coordinator, Congressional Liaison, and Program Analyst. Rodney holds a bachelor’s degree from Plymouth State University, a Master of Public Administration from Suffolk, and a Master of Arts in Political Science from Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

Matt Marr

Commissioner, Labor Apointee

Appointment 3-1-2023 | Term Ending 12-31-2028

Mr. Marr is a lifelong resident of the City of Lowell, and current resident of the Centralville section of the city. He comes to the Authority with 21 years of experience in masonry construction and has performed work at several high-profile sites across the city. Mr. Marr currently serves as an Executive Officer for the Massachusetts Bricklayers and Allied Craftsman, and as delegate for the Central Labor Council. Since 2004, Mr. Marr has also been a member of the Greater Lowell Technical High School Advisory Board Committee.

Joanie Bernes

Commissioner, Federal Tenant Representative

Appointment 12-22-2020 | Term Ending 12-28-2025

Joanie Bernes is the Lowell Housing Authority’s Tenant Representative on the Board of Commissioners. Joanie has held various positions throughout her professional career including hospitality, and customer service, and was part owner of a small business. Joanie is an active participant of the City View Towers Tenant Council, and a volunteer with Community Teamwork Inc.