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Dare County housing task force presents 2024 findings, eyes pilot work through UNC program
Summary
Dare County’s housing task force presented a 2024 report to the Nags Head Board of Commissioners, highlighting sharp home‑price increases, high vacancy rates tied to short‑term rentals, and priorities including ADUs, teacher housing and participation in UNC’s 'Our State, Our Homes' program with a $10,000 pilot grant.
Donna Creef, chair of the Dare Community Housing Task Force and government affairs director for the Outer Banks Association of Realtors, presented the task force’s 2024 report and recommended priorities for 2025.
Creef told the Nags Head Board the report, adopted unanimously by the task force on Dec. 16, summarizes market conditions and sets an action plan focused on attainable housing. She said the county’s median home sale price rose sharply between 2020 and 2024 — to about $622,000 — while median household income for the county is just under $80,000, leaving many residents cost‑burdened. The report estimates roughly 31% of Dare County households are cost‑burdened.
The presentation emphasized four components for local housing policy: available housing, attainable housing (defined as households spending no more than 30% of income on housing), sustainable housing (resilience to natural hazards and ongoing costs), and acceptable housing that fits local zoning and scale. Creef cited data showing Nags Head with a particularly high share of housing classed as vacant (roughly 69%, reflecting vacation/short‑term rental stock) and the resulting tension between tourism demand and year‑round housing supply.
Creef said the task force has been selected to participate in the UNC School of Government “Our State, Our Homes” program, one of 14 teams chosen. The program will run about 18 months; UNC will cover travel costs and provide a $10,000 implementation grant. The task force also secured a separate $3,000 grant from the National Association of Realtors to support outreach.
On possible local policy tools, the task force recommended exploring accessory dwelling units (ADUs) with tenure restrictions, deed restrictions to ensure year‑round occupancy, workforce housing on or near commercial sites, and partnerships with the Board of Education and nonprofits to develop teacher and employee housing. Creef noted that local authority can be limited by state statutes and court decisions, and some actions may require enabling legislation from the North Carolina General Assembly.
Board members asked whether any specific sites in Nags Head had been identified; Creef said not yet, and that the task force focused on public parcels where feasible sites exist and included some Roanoke Island sites in the report. Commissioners praised the report and the task force’s selection for the UNC program and noted outreach and follow‑up would be needed.
Next steps: the task force will use its report as an action plan, pursue the UNC program work, and continue outreach to local governments and community stakeholders. The full 2024 report is available on the task force webpage.
