HOUSING

In 2010 there were 100,271 housing units in the region.  By 2015 that had increased by 820 housing units (0.81%) to 101,091.  The construction of new housing units has slowed but over the last year an increase in construction has been seen in Dare, Currituck and Camden Counties.  There continues to be a concern regarding the lack of affordable workforce housing in the region, especially in the tourist areas where it is needed the most.  Housing costs are extremely prohibitive to economic development in the region. Possible employers are unable to locate to the region because workforce housing is not available to support their workforce needs. Lack of workforce housing is especially damaging to the economies of the coastal towns. Tourism on the coast generates jobs for the entire region. However, housing cost in close proximity to these jobs forces workers to commute from the inland. These long commutes detract from the value of wages. Some occupations require workers to reside near the communities they serve, such as health and safety workers that must be on call. The overall quality of life, and safety on the Outer Banks, is diminished by a lack of workforce housing.