Dare County reports housing task force recommendations, ECU survey and UNC technical assistance award

Dare County leaders summarized work by the county’s Housing Task Force and next steps including statewide technical assistance and local research.

Donna Crieff, chair of the Dare County Housing Task Force (as introduced by Chairman Woodard), said the task force met monthly through 2024 and unanimously released a report titled Housing for Now and Future Generations. Crieff told the board the group’s main finding is that long‑term, generational progress requires broad community participation from local governments, nonprofits, the private sector and residents.

Crieff said common public suggestions include addressing short‑term rentals, but she told the board counties in North Carolina do not have the authority to grant property‑tax breaks to short‑term rentals without special approval from the General Assembly. She identified major challenges as a lack of year‑round housing, limited privately owned developable land and community resistance to housing that residents fear will change neighborhood character.

Research and technical assistance: Crieff and others said East Carolina University professors are conducting a community‑attitude survey on workforce housing; she said the survey remains open through April and had about 900 responses at the time of her remarks. Woodard said Dare County was selected among roughly 22 counties to participate in a UNC School of Government 18‑month program (Our Stay At Our Home initiative), which includes $10,000 for a pilot program and technical assistance.

Approach and next steps: Crieff said the task force plans to prioritize small‑scale projects that align with community patterns and to favor nonprofit partners where feasible; the group will use survey results and UNC technical assistance to shape outreach and pilot work. No new ordinance or tax policy was proposed or adopted at the meeting.