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Sherry Taylor

Executive Director
Durham Community Land Trustees (DCLT)

Sherry Taylor serves as the Executive Director of Durham Community Land Trustees (DCLT), where she leads the organization’s mission to develop and steward permanently affordable housing across Durham, North Carolina. A seasoned real estate professional with 18 years of experience spanning nonprofits, government, and the private sector, Sherry brings strategic vision rooted in her expertise in commercial real estate, urban planning, and equitable development. She holds a Master’s in City & Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s in International Real Estate Development from Florida International University.

Under her leadership, DCLT is advancing innovative housing models that prioritize sustainability, accessibility, and wealth-building for historically marginalized communities. Alma Street Commons, one of the organization’s flagship projects, exemplifies this vision. As the first North Carolina project accepted into the Living Building Challenge Affordable Housing Pilot Program, it is designed to deliver ADA-accessible, net-zero energy homes using toxin-free materials, inclusive Universal Design, and on-site gardens. This project elevates sustainable design to holistically address community needs for housing, health, and improved water quality—offering a model of resilient, community-driven development.

Sherry is also spearheading the development of Guthrie Village, a holistic, intergenerational community designed to provide stable, dignified housing for formerly homeless veterans and their families. The project combines deeply affordable housing with on-site case management and supportive services through a partnership with Volunteers of America National Services (VOANS). A distinctive feature includes modular homes constructed from repurposed shipping containers—demonstrating Sherry’s commitment to creative, resourceful solutions.

Her collaboration with Module, a housing innovation firm, is advancing DCLT’s work in zero energy ready modular construction. These high-performance homes are being piloted on land trust properties to offer scalable, climate-conscious solutions to the affordable housing crisis.

In March 2025, Sherry was honored with the Triangle Business Journal 2025 Women in Business Award for her visionary leadership and dedication to housing equity.

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