(ABC 6 News) – In Stewartville, Thursday night’s candidate forum featured candidates running for city council, school board, and the mayoral seat.

They all answered questions relating to topics and issues in their community and one of those issues was affordable housing and attracting developers to build.

“As far as incentivizing I think that there need to be some incentivizing of builders and developers in order to get houses built at the price points that we need them to, to get rid of the shortage of low-income housing,” Stewartville mayoral candidate Matthew Huggenvik said.

Incumbent mayor Jimmie-John King said the biggest challenge to the shortage of affordable housing is inflation and interest rates.

He said that tax abatements could be a way to help address the issues.

“I don’t think we should be out bonding and borrowing money to bring developers and builders, we got meetings coming right up with developers that want to be here.”

Two seats are up for the Stewartville city council and your candidates are Brent Beyer, Jeff Harrison, Jeremiah Oeltjen, and Daniel Ware.

The Stewartville school board candidates are Aaron Laumann, Nichol Ramaker, and Will Welch.

Election is on November 5th.