Communities like Rockland welcome all sorts of people; year-round and seasonal, new and native, retirees, young families and folks working hard to make a life here. This variety in our population is what makes Rockland a wonderful place to live. 

One thing everyone shares, however, is the need for a safe, secure place to call home. This is especially true for our hard-working neighbors who we all depend on to keep the Midcoast running smoothly: nurses, cops, firefighters, teachers, tradespeople and small business owners. Given the rapid increase in property values we have experienced since COVID, many, even those who make a decent living, simply cannot afford to live and work here anymore. The result is a shrinking workforce of critical people who serve the region in health care, public service, and education, to name but a few. 

At the Penobscot Bay YMCA, we see this firsthand. Housing challenges have made it increasingly difficult for us to hire and retain the staff needed to keep our programs and facilities running—especially in child care, aquatics, health and wellness, and essential roles like custodians, front desk staff, and facilities support. The shortage of affordable workforce housing is a very real barrier to maintaining these vital services for our community.

We need to come together to address affordable workforce housing. Our economic future depends on it. On June 10, the Rockland city ballot will allow voters to do just that. 

A committee of housing experts and interested citizens came together over the winter to develop a creative (and revenue-neutral) funding mechanism in the form of a $10M bond to help stimulate private investment in new, affordable housing construction for our workforce. While all kinds of housing are important, this bond is specifically earmarked to jumpstart affordable workforce housing that does not receive state or federal subsidies by providing funds to stimulate new construction.

Current property taxes will NOT fund this bond. Instead, it has been designed to be paid for through tax base growth it is designed to stimulate. By voting yes on ballot question 1, Rockland voters can do something smart and innovative as a city to address this critical issue. 

I hope you’ll vote yes for affordable workforce housing for Rockland. For more information, visit www.rocklandaffordablehousing.org.

Whitney Files is CEO of the Penobscot Bay YMCA in Rockport