Candidates favor ADUs, modest density and public-private housing projects

Housing affordability surfaced as a central issue; both candidates endorsed small-scale measures rather than large developments. Drake described 'gentle density' and said the Phoenicia School is an obvious location for meaningful housing conversions. "So you're not adding large swaths of new housing... you're adding an ADU or an additional bedroom," he said.

Nolan said ADUs help keep families together and stressed additional tools are needed, including public-private partnerships with organizations such as RUPCO and Habitat for Humanity and incentives to ensure worker housing is part of new projects. Both candidates agreed that zoning and town-level leadership will determine how to implement these strategies.