Charlton M. Dobson
Age: 22, yrs. in Portsmouth: 10
Occupation: Barnes & Noble Booksellers and youth advocate
Public Experience: Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Comm. on Youth; Portsmouth Listens Alternative Transportation Comm.

-What can be done to provide affordable housing for working families and people with moderate incomes?

The City Council needs to work with HUD to form a joint committee designated to redefining the parameters of affordable housing in Portsmouth.

-What would you do to manage growth in the city’s Northern Tier?

I would do a complete cost/benefit analysis, with the needs of the residents of the Northern Tier as my primary consideration.

-What kind of new businesses would you like to see opening in Portsmouth?

Locally owned and operated businesses.

-What would you do to promote sustainable practices and green building in the city?

Provide incentives, such as tax breaks, to encourage local businesses to “go green.”

-What was the last cultural or artistic event you attended in Portsmouth?

The grand re-opening of the Music Hall.

-It was largely the artistic community that made Portsmouth a popular destination, but now most artists will tell you that they cannot afford to live or work here. Have we killed the goose that laid the golden egg?

Yes. It reflects the growing problem, exacerbated by “big development,” of the decrease in affordable housing in Portsmouth. We need to become a more affordable city for all to live in and enjoy.