How to create new housing — and ensure it’s affordable for long-time residents — is top of mind for the Democrats running for City Council in Harlem.

In the competitive Council District 9 primary, State Assemblywoman Inez Dickens, State Assemblyman Al Taylor and Yusef Salaam, a member of the Central Park Exonerated Five, are competing for an open seat.

They faced off Tuesday at a NY1 debate hosted by political anchor Errol Louis.

“We are being priced out and we are being pushed out and therefore, the political power that’s being held in our community is shifting,” Salaam said.

“We cannot build strictly studios because they’re going to keep the community shifting,” Taylor said. “We need two- and three-bedroom apartments that are going to be affordable.”

Also at the debate, the three Democrats said they’d return to the negotiating table with the developers of the One45 mixed-use project.

Dickens talked about how to spur new construction, including a replacement for the state tax incentive 421-a.

“It’s still on the table. It’s still being discussed,” Dickens said. “But as of a year ago, it’s out. So what other vehicles are available?”

Dickens, endorsed by Congressman Adriano Espaillat, currently has the largest campaign war chest.

Ahead of the debate, Salaam and Taylor teamed up in an attempt to draw support away from her.

They are cross-endorsing each other, each asking their supporters to rank the other as their No. 2 choices.

“We need folks to be righteous actors all throughout our community,” Salaam said alongside Taylor earlier Tuesday in Harlem.

Salaam is backed by Manhattan Democratic Party leader Keith Wright.

Taylor is endorsed by state Sen. Cordell Cleare.

At the debate, Salaam said he’d look at trimming the NYPD budget. Taylor said he’d consider cutting NYPD overtime costs and Dickens said she’d want to reduce overtime at several city agencies.

All said they seek to keep Harlem for bearing an unfair burden, including being home to, according to Dickens, “all types of institutions such as the drug centers. So Harlem is tired of it.”

City Councilmember Kristin Richardson Jordan currently represents the district, and last month announced she would not be seeking re-election.