A new start Wednesday for Milwaukee's troubled housing authority, known as HACM. For the first time in months, HACM's Board of Commissioners will hear from residents at their monthly meeting.TMJ4's Jenna Rae has been investigating health and safety issues at the agency since September 2023, when tenants expressed concerns about their living conditions. Some said they were living with rodents, bedbugs, and homes in need of repair.You can find Rae's latest HACM investigation here.Last month, after more than a dozen requests for on-camera interviews, HACM's executive director, Willie Hines, stepped down. Filling that position is now a top priority for board members.We've spoken with residents as the new board is being assembled. Many said they are optimistic about changes at the top but remain cautious about whats to come.For months, residents at the housing authority told us the biggest issue was its director, Hines."I'm glad Hines is gone, I really am, because he was our number one problem. He wasn't listening to the residents," said Chris Logan. Logan is the resident organization president at Mitchell Court. She has lived there for more than a decade and has been championing the need for change for years.Logan's concerns are echoed by longtime tenant Betty Newton. "I'm looking forward to them doing a really national search to find someone qualified to make improvements," Newton said.The turn of the new year brought a new, temporary director, a new board of commissioners, and new promises."We intend to be very transparent and intentional about the work we do," new commissioner Karen Goetzler said in December."I'm glad we're getting new commissioners because the board that he [Hines] had was a yes board. Whatever he said, they agreed to. It's time for a change; it's time to listen to the people," Logan explained.Watch: HACM residents cautiously optimistic about new Board of Commissioners HACM residents cautiously optimistic about new Board of CommissionersOne promise commissioners made was ensuring the public, specifically residents, could be heard. Wednesday was the first meeting in months with public comment on the agenda."We wanted to be heard. You kept putting meetings off and putting them off because you didn't want to hear us and you didn't want Common Ground there. You gotta hear us out," Logan said.A chance to be heard, and with a commissioner spot open, hopes for more residents having a seat at the table."Whoever the new people are, whether it's me or someone else, I hope it's someone who is going to fight for us and hold whoever is director accountable for the job that they have," Newton added.Starting Jan. 2, Kenneth Barbeau is HACM's interim acting executive director. He's been with the agency since 1999.We asked to talk with him earlier Wednesday before the meeting. A spokesperson told us he wasn't available and won't be doing interviews until later this month.We'll be sure to follow up.Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.Report a typo or error