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1976 NAHB President John Hart Dies in Indiana

“John Hart will be remembered for his keen political wit and interests, his engaging personality and his commitment to building a strong housing finance system that would maintain the flow of credit throughout the housing’s industry’s business cycle,” said NAHB President Bobby Rayburn. “John was dearly loved and respected by our 2,000-member board of directors, and he will be greatly missed.”

Hart was born and raised in Indianapolis, where he attended Butler University. He started his professional career as an accountant for Bartlett Construction. He later established Gateway Corporation and Hart Development Construction, where he became a prominent builder/developer in the Indianapolis area and built more than 11,000 single-family homes and apartments. He also developed, owned and operated shopping centers, hotels, restaurants and bowling centers.

Hart was elected to the Indiana State House of Representatives in 1968 and later served as chairman of its Ways and Means Committee. In that position, he led a major property tax reform effort in 1972 that has provided the foundation for property tax controls in the state to the present time.

In addition to his political interests, Hart contributed considerable amounts of his time and energy to the housing industry, serving in leadership roles at the local, state and national levels. He was elected president of the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis in 1966 and president of the Indiana Builders Association in 1969. He received numerous awards from these associations, including “Builder of the Year,” in recognition of his enormous contribution to housing in the Hoosier State. Each year the state association presents the John C. Hart Presidential Award in his honor.

Hart was elected secretary/treasurer of NAHB in 1973 and climbed the leadership ladder to become the association’s president in 1976. That same year, he was inducted into the National Housing Hall of Fame.

Capping a long career in the housing industry and pursuing his keen interest in housing finance, in the early 1980s Hart was appointed chairman of the board and executive director of the Indiana Housing Finance Authority, an agency he was instrumental in creating to help provide mortgages for low- and moderate-income families.

Hart was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Haselmire Hart, and is survived by his brother, William Hart, of Austin, TX, and nine children, 21 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

Memorial services were held on June 10.

Memorial contributions can be made to the John C. Hart Scholarship Fund in care of: Butler University, 4600 Sunset Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46208.

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