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For more than 200 years, the village of Northeast Harbor on Mount Desert Island, not far from where I live, has been a favored summer retreat for some of the world's wealthiest families. Year after year, for as long as most of us can remember, they've trickled in in May and June, touching down in helicopters and private jets to soak in Maine's most glorious and ephemeral season.

It has never been cheap to live nearly anywhere on Mount Desert Island, especially Northeast Harbor. But for a long time people mostly managed: seasonal workers were usually able to find a bunk somewhere, and families making a decent wage and looking for a home might have had to scrimp and be patient but could be fairly confident they would eventually find something that fit.

That's no longer the case. In 2018, the median price of a home in Mount Desert (of which Northeast Harbor is a part) was a little less than $450,000. By 2023 it had more than doubled, to $903,000. The nonprofit ambulance service closed three years ago, citing the difficulty of recruiting volunteers from a dwindling year-round population.

In an effort to reverse this, a local nonprofit backed by Mitchell and Steven Rales set out to make it possible for working families to live year-round in Northeast Harbor, in large part by building and investing in workforce housing. The group brought forward a proposal for a modest, six-unit subdivision on a 0.9-acre plot on the corner of Neighborhood and Manchester roads, a short walk from the elementary school and the ballfields behind.

What followed was a firestorm, pitting a group of millionaire summer residents against the town and the Rales brothers, who are themselves billionaires many times over. This week, reporter Josh Keefe traces how we got here, exploring both the motivations of the project's opponents and the dwindling hope of those who want to call Northeast Harbor home.

— Kate

‘The hornet’s nest’: How seven wealthy summer residents halted workforce housing on Mount Desert Island

A debate over a six-unit project in Mount Desert has pitted millionaire summer residents against both the town and a pair of billionaire brothers.

Read this story by Josh Keefe.

‘Not in the business of politics’: The local officials making sure Mainers get to vote: Clerks across Maine share their thoughts on election security ahead of November. Read this story by Maine Monitor reporters.

Development and rising seas threaten Maine's salt marshes, a key carbon sink: In this audio piece for The Maine Monitor and Maine Public, Monitor contributor Annie Ropeik looks at what will happen to these vital ecosystems as sea levels rise. Listen to this story by Annie Ropeik.

Commission considers public flood insurance: Maine has seen seven federal disaster declarations for severe storms and flooding in the past three years but statewide enrollment in federally-backed flood insurance policies is dwindling. Read this story by Emmett Gartner.

How much do top public university employees make in Maine?: A look at recent compensation data for the UMaine System’s highest-paid employees. Read this story by George Harvey.

September ‘radio hour’ highlights two approaches to addiction recovery: The show offers a behind-the-scenes look at recent Maine Monitor reporting. Listen to the episode.

Communities mostly in compliance with new housing law as deadline passes

LD 2003 requires municipalities to allow an accessory dwelling on any lot with an existing single-family home, and two to four units on any lot with an existing single-family home in certain areas. 

Read this story by Jacqueline Weaver 

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