In this episode of the Dover Download podcast, Deputy City Manager Christopher Parker chats with Planning and Community Development Director Donna Benton and Housing Planner Abby Muirhead about Dover's ongoing housing efforts following their recent City Council presentation. Muirhead reports that Dover permitted over 500 housing units in 2024 and 159 in 2025, highlighting the city's Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) ordinance, which has produced 109 HUD-restricted units. Benton notes that without TDR, Dover would likely see only a handful of new units annually given how built out the city already is. The conversation acknowledges that while the city can encourage density and waive certain fees, market forces drive most costs, with construction running at least $300 per square foot and quarter-acre residential parcels averaging $234,000.

Benton and Muirhead discuss the recent accessory dwelling unit workshop, which drew a standing-room-only crowd and covered ADU basics, permitting, construction considerations, and financing. Dover currently has about 80 permitted ADUs, with 13 already filed in 2026. They also touch on Dover's role as a statewide leader on innovative land use policies, partnerships with the Workforce Housing Coalition and Home for All, and the Dover Housing Authority's role as the largest provider of affordable housing locally. Muirhead previews a forthcoming public housing dashboard and a new pilot program using CDBG funds to rehabilitate existing low-income rental units, preserving affordability while supporting local landlords.

In This Week in Dover History, we revisit May 1887, when Dover High School's student newspaper, The Enterprise, accused the School Board of corruption, religious discrimination, and bribery.