At a Ward 1 City Council candidate forum on August 11, incumbent Democrat John Goncalves and challenger Miguel Martínez Youngs debated key issues including housing affordability, neighborhood development, and the impact of large institutions like Brown University. About 80 residents attended the event at Fox Point Community Library, moderated by Providence Eye reporter Eric Halvarson. Both candidates agreed housing affordability is a critical concern but differed on solutions. Martínez Youngs advocated for rent stabilization combined with increased housing construction and cost reductions, emphasizing its role in protecting renters from displacement. Goncalves supported stabilizing rents but expressed caution about the policy’s effects on homeowners and the city’s tax structure, favoring affordable housing construction and rent relief funds instead. On development, both backed new housing while preserving Ward 1’s historic character. Goncalves highlighted his work on historic district protections and affordable units in the I-195 redevelopment, while Martínez Youngs called for developments integrating housing with parks and transit access. Both candidates also voiced concerns about the expansion of Brown University and RISD, noting the pressures on residents and city resources.