Housing Task Force

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Members of the Dare County Housing Task Force at its inaugural meeting that was held on January 18, 2024 at the Dare County Administration Building in Manteo

Dare Community Housing Task Force forms nonprofit organization Dare Housing Foundation.

Learn more: DareHousingFoundation.org

Dare Housing Task Force Becomes Dare Housing Foundation (2026)

The Dare Housing Foundation was established in response to a growing community need. As housing costs continued to rise and available year-round inventory declined, community leaders recognized the need for a dedicated nonprofit organization focused solely on housing solutions.

Current Initiatives:

Land Trust Research
Investigating community land trusts models that can provide long-term solutions that ensure the property remains in the community’s hands but also offers an opportunity for home ownership.

Public Site Development
Creating concept plans that recognize neighborhood character on publicly owned sites that are suitable for housing development.

Partnership Building
Developing relationships with developers, employers, and housing organizations to create a coordinated approach to expanding housing opportunities

Learn more: DareHousingFoundation.org

Dare County Board of Commissioners Approve Support Request from Dare Housing Task Force (October 2025)

Dare County Board of Commissioners approve request for $200,000 in annual funding for two years to support the formation and operations of a nonprofit organization

During the Dare County Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday, October 6, 2025, Dare Community Housing Task Force Chair Donna Creef delivered a presentation outlining the task force’s recent outreach activities, recommendations from the 2024 report and plans to establish the Dare Housing Foundation—a new nonprofit organization focused on addressing local housing challenges.

Following the presentation and discussion, the Dare County Board of Commissioners voted 6-1 to approve the task force’s request for $200,000 in annual funding for two years to support the formation and operations of the nonprofit organization, as well as the use of office space within the Dare County Administration Building in Manteo.

The motion approved by the board also included Chairman Woodard’s recommendation to appoint Commissioner Mary Ellon Ballance (Hatteras Island) and Dare County Manager Bobby Outten as the two Dare County representatives to serve on the housing nonprofit once it is established.

Commissioner Rob Ross cast the sole dissenting vote, stating that while he supports the initiative, he believes the county should not be solely responsible for the full $200,000 in funding for the nonprofit and that the six municipalities in Dare County should contribute financially as well.

View the Dare Housing Task Force Presentation

2024 Housing Task Force Report

Members of Dare County Housing Task Force:

MEMBER	Phone Number & Email
Donna Creef - Housing Task Force Chair Outer Banks Realtors Association, Government Affairs Director	252-473-7257 dvcreef@gmail.com
Malcolm Fearing - Housing Task Force Vice-Chair Roanoke Island Resident	252-305-8596 mac@108budleigh.com
Bob Woodard Dare County Board of Commissioners, Chairman	252-216-8240 woodard@darenc.gov
Robert Outten Dare County Manager/Attorney	252-475-5811 outten@darenc.gov
Craig Garriss Town of Kitty Hawk, Mayor	252-207-1115 cgarriss@kittyhawktown.net
Sherry Wickstrom Town of Manteo, Mayor	612-296-3721 swickstrom@manteonc.gov
Monica Thibodeau Town of Duck, Mayor Pro Tem	252-207-7739 monica.thibodeau@carolinadesigns.com
John Windley Town of Kill Devil Hills, Mayor	252-902-4345 jwindley@kdhnc.com
Elizabeth Morey Town of Southern Shores, Mayor	252-256-1953 emorey@southernshores-nc.gov
Matt Neal Town of Southern Shores, Mayor Pro Tem	252-594-6232 mneal@southernshores-nc.gov
Michael Siers Town of Nags Head, Mayor Pro Tem	252-489-3861 mikesiers@me.com
Drew Havens Town of Duck, Manager	252-255-1234 dhavens@townofduck.com
Andy Garman Town of Nags Head, Manager	252-619-0437 andy.garman@nagsheadnc.gov
Melissa Dickerson Town of Manteo, Manager	252-216-6316 mdickerson@manteonc.gov
Melody Clopton Town of Kitty Hawk, Manager	252-261-3552 mclopton@kittyhawktown.net
Ryan Lang Town of Kill Devil Hills, Senior Planner	252-449-5315 rlang@kdhnc.com
Jeff Schwartzenberg Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, Community Engagement Manager	252-473-7155 schwartzenberg@outerbanks.org
Bob Peele Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce, Economic Sustainability && Government Affairs Chair	252-216-8887 bpeele@commerce.nc.gov
Caroline Basnight Outer Banks Restaurant Association	252-216-6703 carolinebasnight@gmail.com
Ron Payne Dare County Schools, Board of Education	804-402-3325 paynero@daretolearn.org
Duke Geraghty Outer Banks Home Builder Association, Gov. Affairs Director	252-202-8861 govtaffairs105@gmail.com
Tess Judge Outer Banks Hotel/Motel Association	252-216-6105 tessjudgeobx@gmail.com
Carol Warnecki Northern Beach Resident	252-207-6776 bubbacookie11@gmail.com
Mitchell Bateman Wanchese Resident	252-473-3350 mitchellbateman@hotmail.com
Ronnie Sloan Outer Banks Hospital, President	252-449-4515 ronnie.sloan@theobh.com
Briggs McEwan Hatteras Island Representative	252-996-0531 briggsmc1@gmail.com
Anthony Fletcher Hatteras Island Representative	252-996-0100 anthonyf@midgettrealty.com
Housing Task Force Clerk: Skyler Foley Dare County Clerk to the Board of Commissioners	252-475-5700 skyler.foley@darenc.gov

MEMBER

Phone Number & Email

Donna Creef - Housing Task Force Chair

Outer Banks Realtors Association, Government Affairs Director

252-473-7257

dvcreef@gmail.com

Malcolm Fearing - Housing Task Force Vice-Chair

Roanoke Island Resident

252-305-8596

mac@108budleigh.com

Bob Woodard
Dare County Board of Commissioners, Chairman

252-216-8240
woodard@darenc.gov

Robert Outten
Dare County Manager/Attorney

252-475-5811
outten@darenc.gov

Craig Garriss
Town of Kitty Hawk, Mayor

252-207-1115

cgarriss@kittyhawktown.net

Sherry Wickstrom
Town of Manteo, Mayor

612-296-3721

swickstrom@manteonc.gov

Monica Thibodeau

Town of Duck, Mayor Pro Tem

252-207-7739

monica.thibodeau@carolinadesigns.com

John Windley

Town of Kill Devil Hills, Mayor

252-902-4345

jwindley@kdhnc.com

Elizabeth Morey

Town of Southern Shores, Mayor

252-256-1953

emorey@southernshores-nc.gov

Matt Neal

Town of Southern Shores, Mayor Pro Tem

252-594-6232

mneal@southernshores-nc.gov

Michael Siers

Town of Nags Head, Mayor Pro Tem

252-489-3861

mikesiers@me.com

Drew Havens

Town of Duck, Manager

252-255-1234

dhavens@townofduck.com

Andy Garman

Town of Nags Head, Manager

252-619-0437

andy.garman@nagsheadnc.gov

Melissa Dickerson

Town of Manteo, Manager

252-216-6316
mdickerson@manteonc.gov

Melody Clopton

Town of Kitty Hawk, Manager

252-261-3552

mclopton@kittyhawktown.net

Ryan Lang

Town of Kill Devil Hills, Senior Planner

252-449-5315

rlang@kdhnc.com

Jeff Schwartzenberg

Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, Community Engagement Manager

252-473-7155

schwartzenberg@outerbanks.org

Bob Peele

Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce, Economic Sustainability && Government Affairs Chair

252-216-8887

bpeele@commerce.nc.gov

Caroline Basnight

Outer Banks Restaurant Association

252-216-6703

carolinebasnight@gmail.com

Ron Payne

Dare County Schools, Board of Education

804-402-3325

paynero@daretolearn.org

Duke Geraghty

Outer Banks Home Builder Association, Gov. Affairs Director

252-202-8861

govtaffairs105@gmail.com

Tess Judge

Outer Banks Hotel/Motel Association

252-216-6105

tessjudgeobx@gmail.com

Carol Warnecki

Northern Beach Resident

252-207-6776

bubbacookie11@gmail.com

Mitchell Bateman

Wanchese Resident

252-473-3350

mitchellbateman@hotmail.com

Ronnie Sloan

Outer Banks Hospital, President

252-449-4515

ronnie.sloan@theobh.com

Briggs McEwan

Hatteras Island Representative

252-996-0531

briggsmc1@gmail.com

Anthony Fletcher

Hatteras Island Representative

252-996-0100

anthonyf@midgettrealty.com

Housing Task Force Clerk: Skyler Foley

Dare County Clerk to the Board of Commissioners

252-475-5700

skyler.foley@darenc.gov

Task Force Subcommittees

NON-PROFIT SUBCOMMITTEE
DATE	PDF DOCUMENTS
May 10, 2024	Summary
May 31, 2024	Summary
July 7, 2024	Summary
January 13, 2025	Summary
February 10, 2025	Summary

PLANNING SUBCOMMITTEE
DATE	PDF DOCUMENTS
May 3, 2024	Summary
June 7, 2024	Summary
July 12, 2024	Summary
August 9, 2024	Summary
October 4, 2024	Summary
January 17, 2025	Summary
February 13, 2025	Summary
March 28, 2025	Summary
April 16, 2025	Summary

Latest Updates:

Looking Ahead:

Meeting Dates and Minutes

2025
2024

DATE	PDF DOCUMENTS
March 18, 2025	Agenda Minutes
June 17, 2025	Agenda Minutes
September 16, 2025	Agenda Minutes
December 16, 2025	Agenda Minutes

Date	PDF DOCUMENTS
January 18, 2024	Agenda Minutes
February 20, 2024	(Cancelled)
March 19, 2024	Agenda Minutes
April 16, 2024	Agenda Minutes
April 22, 2024	Agenda Minutes
April 30, 2024	Agenda Minutes
May 14, 2024	Agenda Minutes
May 28, 2024	Agenda Minutes
June 25, 2024	Agenda Minutes
July 15, 2024	(Cancelled)
August 20, 2024	Agenda Minutes
September 17, 2024	Agenda Minutes
October 15, 2024	Agenda Minutes
November 25, 2024	Agenda Minutes
December 16, 2024	Agenda Minutes

Meeting Dates:

The Dare Community Housing Task Force will meet on the following dates in 2025:
March 18, June 17, September 16 and December 16 at 9 a.m. These meetings will take place at the Dare County Administration Building, which is located at 954 Marshall C. Collins Drive in Manteo.

These meetings are open to the public, and the approved minutes from each meeting will be posted on this webpage.

Dare County, NC

Housing Task Force

Dare Community Housing Task Force forms nonprofit organization Dare Housing Foundation.

Current Initiatives:

Click here to view the 2025 Housing Task Force meeting schedule. (PDF)