Jay Hardy
Jay Hardy has been working in various aspects of commercial and residential real estate for more than four decades. The son and grandson of housing developers / contractors – Jay has been around this business all his life. While attending undergraduate school, Jay started his career as a Real Estate and Relocation Specialist for one of the last remaining Urban Renewal Agencies in a small Texas city – Georgetown.
After attending graduate school, Jay followed a path in public policy centered around development and housing. For five years, Jay managed community programs and public information for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs – having the lead responsibility for the Governor’s Community Betterment Programs, the Georgia Downtown Development and Main Street Programs, and the Governor’s Office of Volunteer Services.
Almost four decades ago, Jay relocated to Maine where he served as the Deputy Commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. In that capacity, he was responsible for promoting affordable housing by managing the Community Development Block Grant program, as well as of other planning and development resources for Maine municipalities. He oversaw the passage of legislation that implemented the municipal development tool known as Tax Increment Financing and staffed a statewide Affordable Housing initiative.
After leaving the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, Jay has enjoyed a varied career as an entrepreneur, business owner, project developer / manager, and consultant in his role as the founder and CEO of NEW Solutions – a Maine business and real estate advisory services firm established in 1989. NEW Solutions has a long track record of work at the interface between the public and private sectors. Clients have included many of Maine’s leading businesses and municipalities – Bath Iron Works, L.L. Bean, Central Maine Power, UNUM, the City of Portland, the City of Freeport, and the Town of Topsham. Most recently, Jay served as the Development Director for the Town of Lincoln where his focus was on the redevelopment of the former Lincoln Paper and Tissue mill site but has now pivoted to serve a broader range of clients, including work supporting the redevelopment of the mill in East Millinocket; project development for a general contractor / electrical contractor focused on building larger scale solar arrays; coordination with a team of architects and forest products manufacturers to design and market affordable, panelized/modular and sustainable housing units. Central to many of these projects is his work with his wife, Denise, as part of the NEW Solutions / Hardy Team affiliated with Advisors Living.
Jay brings a range of knowledge and skills to this real estate practice and shares Denise’s enthusiasm for helping people find their way to their new homes or businesses.