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Candidates split on whether Nags Head should immediately fund Dare Housing Foundation
Summary
At a League forum, candidates differed on whether the six towns should share startup costs for the new Dare Housing Foundation: some favor short-term town contributions or zoning changes; others want more information and measurable outcomes before committing municipal funds.
A question from an audience member about whether the six towns should share startup costs for the newly formed Dare Housing Foundation drew mixed responses at the Nags Head candidate forum.
Keith Sawyer said the towns should share some startup costs because workforce housing is a regional problem that would be solved more efficiently by cooperation. "It would help the housing in Dare County if all the towns would share in the cost of the setup of the organization," he said.
Megan Vaughn cautioned against an immediate town commitment. She described the foundation as a nonprofit that emerged from regional task forces and said Nags Head should wait until town officials understand the group's plans and scope. Vaughn noted that the town manager, Andy Garman, was nominated to the foundation board, which she said will give the town insight as the foundation develops.
Bob Sanders expressed support for affordable housing and said the town could play a role while further discussing details with staff and finance officers. Mike Sears noted the town has already contributed to workforce housing projects and framed the town's contribution as part of existing countywide support: "That 200,000 you put in, the 200,000, we helped pay for," he said.
C.P. Nunemaker said he would back shared funding only if the foundation commits to a clear "finish line" and produces tangible results after years of unfulfilled efforts. "I would support it as long as there was a finish line," he said, adding he has tried for years to get county attention on potential development sites.
None of the candidates committed to a specific funding amount during the forum. Several said they would need more detail from the foundation and from town staff before authorizing town funds.
The debate underscores two tensions: (1) whether housing solutions should be regional and funded cooperatively, and (2) whether town taxpayers should provide early-stage money to a nonprofit without an established work plan. The candidates said the town's next steps would include reviewing foundation proposals and consulting staff and finance officers before any formal commitment.
