Dover's New Housing Planner, Committee Report, Tackle Housing Challenges

In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Abby Galloway-Burke, Dover's new housing planner, about the recently released Ad-Hoc Committee to Address Community Housing Needs report and her personal experience purchasing a home in the city.

Galloway-Burke discusses her background working on housing programs at Community Action Partnership of Strafford County and Granite United Way before joining Dover's team. She shares her firsthand experience buying an 1880s duplex in Dover after being initially outbid, highlighting the competitive housing market that even housing professionals face.

The conversation focuses on the 45-page housing report, which includes a five-page executive summary showing how Dover's housing market has shifted over the past decade. Key findings reveal that construction costs have risen from $120 per square foot in 2019 to approximately $250 today, with multifamily units costing over $400,000 to build. The report shows how housing costs affect essential workers, with the living wage now at $29 per hour just for rental housing.

Parker also speaks with City Clerk Jerrica Vansylyvong-Bizier about the upcoming municipal election. The filing period runs Sept. 8-19 for candidates seeking City Council, School Board and election officer positions. All council seats are up for election, including six ward Councilors, two at-large Councilors and the Mayor. The election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 4, with polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.