The recent conveyance of land to the developer who holds title to more than 600 units of former military housing in Brunswick makes the sale of these properties practical.

It also provides the region as well, as the state of Maine, with an important strategic opportunity to reshape its demographic destiny and economic future.

To simply place these units on to the market, even at some measured pace, fails to achieve all that might be possible. Maine’s aging population and work force demand bold, creative solutions for population growth if we are to avert the current demographic crisis.

By promoting the sale of Brunswick housing units with incentives to young families and workers with the sought-after skills and credentials needed for economic growth and new business attraction, the region could serve as a model for not only growing the Maine population but also driving prosperity with the attraction of highly skilled workers essential to Maine’s future.

The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority ( MRRA) has put forth an ambitious and visionary plan for Brunswick Landing. The plan identifies key industry sectors — including aviation, composites materials, renewable energy and information technology — that all share a common need for a highly skilled work force with qualifications in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The location of Southern Maine Community College and the University of Maine are very promising institutional capacities to support growth in these sectors. More will be needed, however.

Already, some promising developments such as the location of Resilient Technologies, American Bureau of Shipping and Kestrel Aviation illustrate the feasibility of growing the targeted sectors. Vast potential exists for bringing thousands of jobs to Brunswick Landing.

There is intense competition and many options, however, for the kind of firms creating these jobs. Current Maine employers are having difficulty filling existing jobs that require STEM degrees with high wage, high skill job openings going unfilled. A skills attraction strategy is as important as business attraction.

What will distinguish Brunswick Landing and Maine in general?

In many respects what unfolds at Brunswick Landing and the future of the Midcoast region are inextricably linked. To ensure that we maximize the opportunity in our midst requires extraordinary collaboration among the state of Maine, towns in the region, existing businesses, governmental agencies and nongovernmental entities such MRRA.

Marketing and creative use of the former military housing assets presents one of the most significant opportunities for such collaboration.

How could we proceed?

First, we should create a collaborative for marketing with the developer/owner of the former military housing joined by the state of Maine, town of Brunswick, MRRA and other regional development entities.

The purpose of such a collaborative is to be S.M.A.R.T. Here’s an explanation of that acronym:

— Strategic: Introducing more than 600 housing units into sluggish real estate market is neither attractive to the owner of the units, existing homeowners or the region.

A strategic approach is needed for reintegrating these housing units with longer- term regional economic development goals and community needs if both the profit maximizing developer and the region are to benefit.

— Marketing: Selling undistinguished housing units in large volume and at a low price will neither achieve profit maximization for the owner nor leave the community necessarily better off.

Brunswick, with its high quality of life and distinguished school systems, needs young families to make up for the loss of population and school enrollment. Developing a marketing strategy to attract this population is needed to restore a strong sense of recovery from the base closing.

At the same time, a highly skilled work force will be a key to growing Brunswick Landing. A marketing campaign to attract both to the region is needed.

— Assets: One could readily look at the entry of more than 600 housing units to the market as a liability in the current context. Instead, we need to treat these housing units as assets that are part of an investment for the community and the region’s future.

— Recruiting: Maine’s demographic predicament (slow population growth and aging population) requires bold and imaginative solutions. We must attract young families to our state to reinvigorate our communities, populate our schools and grow the work force.

This will not happen on its own, but instead we need to create incentives that encourage young families who have the sought after skills credentials to move to Maine.

— Talent: Maine employers are often having difficulty in recruiting high skilled workers with degrees and experience in key science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.

In an otherwise, difficult labor market, Maine employers are unable to fill key jobs, and Maine institutions of higher education are unable to meet growing demands.

These jobs pay high wages and are key to Maine’s economic future and growth prospects. Successful and sustained development of the key industry sectors identified by MRRA are dependent on the availability of deeper supply of a STEM work force. We must grow the STEM work force in Maine.

The strategic deployment of the former military housing units in Brunswick should be a priority for the region and the state. Incentives and innovations will be needed to help Maine and Mid-coast region stand out in recruiting and attracting young families with STEM degrees.

The availability of housing tax credits to young families could serve as an important financial incentive in providing below market priced housing to qualified young families.

These incentives — when combined with the quality of the Brunswick schools, regional cultural amenities and high quality of life overall — could be an inducement when combined with job offers from Maine employers looking to recruit and compete for these workers in national market.

Technology and communications innovations to enhance the attractiveness and utility of these housing units are also essential. Often, young families have two working professionals. While one member of the household may secure a job in Maine, the other member may not be able to.

With increasing flexibility in work arrangements, however, a trailing spouse might be able to negotiate a telecommuting agreement with an existing out- of- state employer. This means that housing must be equipped with high- speed Internet accessibility and state-of-theart communications systems for video conferencing to accommodate this kind of employment relationship.

By incorporating these technologies into the Brunswick housing units, they will certainly be more attractive to support the alternative work arrangements needed by highly educated and skilled couples.

Brunswick Landing, along with assets that have been conveyed to the community, provides an important opportunity to create new communities and build the foundation for a more prosperous future.

JOHN DORRER of Brunswick is a member of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority’s board of directors. He is the former acting commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor.