OP-ED: A solution to the ‘squeeze on our Island’
Deer Isle development is in final capital campaign push to house the ‘missing middle,’ writes Stonington’s town manager
An artist’s drawing of HomePort’s entrance. Image courtesy of HomePort website.
Sept. 2, 2026
By Kathleen Billings
To the Deer Isle and Stonington Community:
As Town Manager of Stonington and a resident of Deer Isle, I have watched our Island face some of its toughest challenges over the years. But today, I am writing to share a project that represents one of our greatest opportunities for the future of our towns: HomePort.
We are now in the final stages of our capital campaign to bring HomePort across the finish line. We also have an exciting opportunity of a $100,000 challenge grant to help make those community and business donor dollars get us further to our goal. We took a wonderfully loved, highly utilized Island facility—an asset that has meant so much to us in the past, the former Island Nursing Home, and found a way to repurpose it into something our community desperately needs right now: safe, reliable, and accessible housing.
Every day we see the squeeze on our Island. We need all kinds of housing here, especially for the “missing middle”—the very people who keep this Island running. These are our teachers, dentists, healthcare workers, electricians, plumbers, and emergency service providers. Without them, our community simply cannot function, yet too many are priced out or unable to find a stable place to live.
HomePort offers a real solution: For essential workers: It provides quality housing with no income caps, opening doors for the working families who care for us, build for us, and educate our children. For our seniors: It creates safe, age-friendly spaces, fully accessible, for those looking to downsize, reduce isolation, and stay connected to the community they built.
By bringing these generations together under one roof, HomePort becomes more than just a housing unit—it becomes a vibrant community hub. Beyond residential living, the facility includes health and wellness office space, conference and meeting rooms, and a shared kitchen and dining space designed for future Senior Center opportunities.
What makes me most proud as a local leader is how we are doing this. Our board worked tirelessly to develop a cost-effective, practical housing model. Repurposing an existing Island asset is not only significantly more budget-conscious than building from scratch—it is also far kinder to our environment and preserves the distinct character of our Island.
We took a piece of our history and carried it straight into our Island’s next chapter. The campaign goal is $1.6M dollars to complete the project. To date, our board, with help from generous donors, raised $1.2M. We are now opening our campaign to you to close the gap of $400,000. Donations of all sizes are important. Larger gifts have naming opportunities. All gifts make a difference. Stock transfers, pledges over two years, gifts from endowments or foundations are all welcome.
Your support will help keep our working families here, give our seniors the dignity and comfort they deserve, and ensure Deer Isle and Stonington remain strong, self-reliant communities for generations to come. Please visit the HomePort website for more information.
—Billings is the town manager for Stonington and a member of HomePort’s board of directors. She is a Deer Isle resident.
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