The District Five Insider is a newsletter about the big decisions making their way through the City Council, what they mean for District Five, and how you can get involved. Enter your email and click subscribe to receive this newsletter in your mailbox.
Wednesday July 30, 2025
The Kids Are Alright: Talking Social Housing on Blunt Youth Radio
Long days, warm nights, beach reads, birdsong—and lots of visitors. Summer in Maine is sublime, and so fleeting. I hope you’re soaking it up! My soundtrack to the season has been Animaru, the latest album from the incredible jazz-influenced indie J-pop artist Mei Semones. It’s the perfect blend of dreamy and defiant, and I recently I had the pleasure of chatting about new music and housing justice with the sharp young minds at Blunt Youth Radio on WMPG. We had an energizing conversation about Portland’s housing crisis and the bold solutions we need. We talked about the harsh reality young people are facing: with more than half of Portland renters spending over 30% of their income on rent, housing is simply out of reach for too many. I explained how this affordability crisis is a direct result of relying on the private market to do all the heavy lifting, and why we need public solutions to meet the scale of the problem. We discussed Portland’s inclusionary zoning law, which requires new developments to include affordable units and why it’s so important to defend and strengthen policies that put affordability front and center. I also shared exciting news: we just seated a 13-member Social Housing Task Force to explore how Portland can become a public developer and build the kinds of permanently affordable homes the private market can’t deliver on its own. We looked to models around the world where public funds are used not just to build one project at a time, but to revolve those investments, building exponentially more housing over time, without giving away public value. It was a great reminder that the next generation gets it, and they’re ready to build a better future. To listen, click the July 17th show.
ksykes@portlandmaine.gov 207-558-5764
Notice: Under Maine law, documents – including e-mails and text messages – in the possession of public officials or city employees about government business may be classified as public records. There are very few exceptions. As a result, please be advised that what is written in a text message or e-mail could be released to the public and/or the media if requested.
Kate Sykes for District Five 