2022 Wake County Midterm Election Candidate Questionnaire: Learn more about candidates’ stances on affordable housing

Habitat Wake collected responses from candidates running for the Wake County Board of Commissioners and Raleigh City Council this November to share their stances on affordable housing with our network. Affordable housing is a key priority in this election, so please use this resource to inform your decision at the ballot box on November 8!

Habitat Wake is a nonpartisan organization. All the information and responses provided come directly from the candidates and is not an endorsement. We invited all candidates running for local office in Wake County and the City of Raleigh this November to respond to this questionnaire.

Select the candidate from the drop-down options below to view your candidates' responses.

Wake County Board of Commissioners

Chanel Harris (District 1)

What specific policies, practices, or initiatives will you implement to increase access to affordable housing across the county?

Having more information that support individuals and single-family homeowners in that are in search of a home, that can increase eligibility and keeping there taxes at a fixed rate either through Escrow or Annuity supports plans. Including HOA policies.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing affordable housing in Wake County?

Getting Mortgage approval at the asking price for New families and some of the tax increase of established homeowners.

Over 60 people move to Wake County every day. How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

Having Reference to Human Resources as well as First Home buyers program developments here in NC can help families Understanding the Job market and the creditability of Financial Counseling for the market. Understanding Escrow account and Annuity values so that families are able to payoff there homes at a more suitable rate and market.

If (re)elected, how will you advance racial equity in housing?

Working with the council for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to support our community growth and Human Services to support information of Healthy & family living here in our state are to platforms of support in securing equality for our Individuals, families and community.

Donald Mial (District 1)

What specific policies, practices, or initiatives will you implement to increase access to affordable housing across the county?

It is my belief that the County should be a leader and convener when it comes to addressing the increased need for affordable housing. However, in October 2021, the Wake County Board of Commissioners approved an allocation of $10.5 million dollars to preserve existing and naturally occurring affordable housing with Self-Help Ventures Funds called "The Affordable Housing Preservation Fund". Wake County also have the Affordable Homeownership Program, which is offered by Wake County and DHIC, Inc. which provides forgivable to low-and moderate-income households, serving all of Wake County municipalities outside of Raleigh and Cary. Loans can be used for home purchase assistance and foreclosure prevention. Specific thing that I would do is to convene a Task Force of all the Stakeholders to come up with a plan that all twelve of the Municipalities can support and have an input into the process.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing affordable housing in Wake County?

Our County is presently at 1.2 million people (about the population of New Hampshire) and growing. Along with this growth the availability and Affordability of housing is creating a market wherein the price of homes is soaring, and many cannot afford them. Most of the people working in Wake County are forced to live in the surrounding counties and commute to work thereby making our transportation system to require additional funding.

Over 60 people move to Wake County every day. How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

Wake County is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. Therefore, it is important that we continue to be intentional about managing growth by implementing the transit plan passed by the voters. We must be conscious of our water supply and protecting our water supply from pollution, preserving green spaces and ensuring better zoning and planning that supports affordable housing. I think that if we follow the model, that was used in Houston, TX we may be able to make a different, such as teaming with county agencies and persuading scores of local service providers, corporations and charitable nonprofits- organizations that often bicker and compete with one another- to row in unison. Together, they can implement "Housing First", a practice that moves the most vulnerable people straight from the streets into apartments, not into shelters, and without first requiring them to wean off drugs or compete a 12-step program or find God or a Job.

If (re)elected, how will you advance racial equity in housing?

Housing inequality is a primary culprit behind the large racial wealth gap between Black and White households in the U.S. Mobilizing public and political will to craft and implement remedies necessary for a more just future is critical to rectifying the years of unjust housing policies that continue to impact families today.

Increase Opportunities for Black homeownership, by setting a goal of closing the Black homeownership gap.
Invest in distressed, racially segregated communities, by reinvestment and tax incentives
Stop perpetuating segregation, isolation of communities where Black households live
Invest in affordable rental housing, housing choice vouchers

Matt Calabria (District 2)

What specific policies, practices, or initiatives will you implement to increase access to affordable housing across the county?

In addition to working with municipalities to enact forward-thinking planning and zoning ordinances as discussed above, Wake County should continue to put more affordable housing units in play each year, work to preserve naturally occurring affordable housing before it’s redeveloped and gone forever, better utilize land owned by the county and some of our partners, and assist cost-burdened homeowners who need help to stay in their homes.

In recent years, Wake County has made strides in expanding our affordable housing stock. Passed a few years ago, our landmark affordable housing plan has involved major changes in our housing apparatus: creating a stand-alone housing department, developing a proactive system to identify and preserve naturally occurring affordable housing, building record numbers of affordable housing units, expanding support services, creating rental and utility assistance programs, working with landlords on behalf of renters, etc. In 2021, we hit our five-year goal of creating 2,500 affordable housing units–and it was only year three.

In addition, I have been proud of the work that my Commission colleagues and I have done to build a surveillance program for identifying and tracking affordable housing so that we have early warning as to when each parcel is likely to come up for sale or is otherwise at risk of being redeveloped. We have also seeded a fund that is allowing us to partner with companies to raise millions of dollars to preserve this naturally occurring affordable housing. In the coming years, we must execute on these programs and spend the money wisely in furtherance of housing affordability.

Lastly, we should engage in programs that help not just renters but also property owners. See below.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing affordable housing in Wake County?

While constructing more affordable housing units is critical, various experts who have examined Wake County’s housing dynamics tend to agree that government-supported housing alone will not allow us to “build our way out” of our affordable housing challenges. A systemic shortage of supply is perhaps the greatest influence on the structures that make housing less affordable, and people across the economic spectrum are negatively affected by it. Given that municipalities contain more than 80% of residents and an even greater percentage of current growth, my hope in the coming years is to serve as a conduit and convener among the county and its municipalities in order to develop collaborations concerning density, development, zoning, and other policy areas that affect housing dynamics. Thus, we must not only expand our efforts to create more affordable housing and to work vigilantly to preserve naturally occurring affordable housing, but we also need to work with our community partners to ensure that we make smart decisions about planning, permitting, zoning, transportation accessibility, and density, among other things.

Over 60 people move to Wake County every day. How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

We know that many people are forced from their homes by rising housing costs and other pressures. To address that challenge, we must redouble our housing affordability efforts, promote density, and make more development transit-accessible, and gather input from existing residents before making major planning decisions.

I have also been a leading advocate for measures that can help take pressure off of low-income families. While state law all but prohibits counties from adjusting property tax bills for those in acute need, we can implement programs that help low-income populations with other things that affect their cost of living, such as utility bills. As transportation is the second-largest cost for most families, providing additional public transit options will help as well. Lastly, we can better assist already-struggling families when they encounter one-time costs that might otherwise be crippling. One example is to create a no-interest loan fund that enables property owners to take care of needed home repairs so that they can maintain adequate shelter, heating, and other essentials.

These are just some of the measures I hope to pursue in the coming years. Tackling a complex problem such as this one will require a multi-pronged approach.

If (re)elected, how will you advance racial equity in housing?

First, we have to build equity practices into our organization and operations. We recently took a major step in the right direction when we hired our first DEI Director, a high-level position charged with analyzing, monitoring, and helping to craft not just Wake County’s internal practices, but also its external policies. Also, as chair of the Board of Commissioners in 2021, I was proud to partner with the Raleigh Chamber and many other organizations to create A Better Wake, which is a public-private partnership designed to “reimagine systems that create inequitable outcomes for Black and Brown residents.”

Because people of color are disproportionately low-income and disproportionately affected by housing affordability challenges, all of the affordable housing programs and policies I have discussed in response to other questions will work to help correct this inequity. In addition, the county has already put in place programs that target housing and upward mobility in neighborhoods that are populated disproportionately by Black and Brown families, and we should continue many of those site-based strategies.

Since owning a home is one of the most significant ways a family can build generational wealth, we should also develop a first-time home buyer assistance program that will help people who would otherwise be priced out of our hot housing market.

Lastly, we should not repeat the mistake of some other places in the country who concentrated new affordable housing solely in confined pockets. That might be convenient, but it risks concentrating poverty further and is often motivated by desires to keep poor people “out of sight.” Instead, while we have to be understanding of the complex dynamics of every region and neighborhood, a scattered-site policy is best.

Mark McMains (District 2)

What specific policies, practices, or initiatives will you implement to increase access to affordable housing across the county?

Getting all municipalities on the same page as the county is on this issue we can do this and make real affordable housing for all

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing affordable housing in Wake County?
Getting Tiny homes on a 1/4 acre of Land in the County and Tiny homes are 125sq to 900Sq feet and are affordable housing and hope towns and Cities will also do this

Over 60 people move to Wake County every day. How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

With affordable housing in place and homes starting at 65k up to 115k this will allow people to move in to a home with affordable payments and lower taxes

If (re)elected, how will you advance racial equity in housing?

The Federal Government as Law’s in place I would push them to enforce them to the fullest extent of the Law there is no place for this in our county

Irina Comer (District 3)

What specific policies, practices, or initiatives will you implement to increase access to affordable housing across the county?

I want to ensure we have sufficient quality and affordable housing to accommodate Wake County’s continued growth. Housing prices are a function of supply and demand. A limited supply of housing drives up housing costs, which leads to unaffordable housing. It also incentivizes developers to develop the most profitable properties they can develop, given a finite amount of development space. Accordingly, affordable housing must be both affordable for occupants and sensible for developers and landlords. Bribing developers and landlords to offer underpriced units in a development does not create affordable housing; it creates a permanent reliance on government-sponsored wealth redistribution. To satisfy a need for missing middle housing, we need to create development space for developers in areas that makes sense, so we can develop duplexes, fourplexes, multiplexes, etc. Wake County has space, but it requires a fundamental shift in how the county views zoning and development restrictions. Thoughtful zoning and development approaches are the key to addressing affordable housing in Wake County, not government largess.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing affordable housing in Wake County?

The single biggest challenge facing affordable housing in Wake County is supply. Housing prices are a function of supply and demand, just like any other good or service. In particular, Wake County needs more middle housing – duplexes, fourplexes, multiplexes, and the like, that can affordably accommodate a larger number of residents per unit of area, while still providing a reasonable accommodation of space and comfort.

Over 60 people move to Wake County every day. How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

Lowering property taxes is a fundamental pillar of my campaign. The current Commissioners aim to maximize revenue through taxes and then look for things to spend it on. That approach leads to inefficient government services and a very high tax burden for working families. Wake County should instead focus on providing the services that are most needed in the community and which the government is best suited to provide. There are very few things that government is best suited to provide. Commissioners should then dynamically size the tax burden to meet that need. For property taxes, that requires a constant focus on both tax rates and property values. Commissioners should also dynamically assess which programs continue to add value. Because when it comes to taxes, less is truly more. People tend to forget that property taxes flow through to rents, but landlord costs are inevitably tenant costs, and keeping property taxes low is absolutely necessary to ensuring continued housing affordability in Wake County.

If (re)elected, how will you advance racial equity in housing?

As with so many other instances, equity (outcomes) in housing is tied to equal opportunity to access housing. The ability to access housing is a function of affordability across the economic spectrum, which is in turn a function of supply and tax burden, as discussed above. The best way to advance racial equity in housing is to advance the affordability of housing generally, ensuring that working families have sufficient quality housing options proximate to where they work.

Cheryl Stallings (District 3)

What specific policies, practices, or initiatives will you implement to increase access to affordable housing across the county?

I will continue and expand the work of collaborative partnerships with our federal, state, and municipal government leaders as well as with our community leaders and organizations as we work together to improve affordable housing in Wake County.

As an example of collaboration with the federal government, the Biden-Harris administration has recently announced a historic expansion of housing vouchers that will support rental assistance for lower-income families across the nation. Wake County will be receiving 45 more vouchers for our community.

Additionally, the County has a strong staff committed to this work, and several of our municipalities do as well. We will strive to support and expand our work with Wake municipalities to increase housing affordability options throughout the county (which includes shared funding support at the county and municipal level for getting affordable units built).

We will continue the work of housing rehabilitation, which helps residents who meet certain income requirements, obtain financial assistance for critical home repairs (such as HVAC systems, roofs, wheel chair ramps, or flooring or window repairs). This work invests in existing affordable housing stock, and allows residents the opportunity to age in place and remain in Wake County.

We will work to purchase land where we can that can be used for affordable housing, and we will investigate public-private partnerships in this work as well. We will continue existing financial assistance programs and expand community awareness of these programs (such as the Affordable Housing Homeownership Program, Wake County Affordable Housing Preservation Fund, Bridge 2 Home program, and Lease 2 Home program). The Housewake! Access Hub is the best resource to help residents in need learn about which program could assist them best (919.443.0096).

This work often takes a multi-prong approach. I will bring to the Wake County Commission my experience as an Apex Town Council member with the work I have done with my colleagues to begin to address housing affordability needs in Apex. After being elected in November 2019, my colleagues and I approved a steering committee to develop an affordable housing plan, plus a staff position, and then we went to work. In just a few years, we created a housing rehabilitation program; allocated funding to help build 9 Habitat for Humanity homes in Apex (which are almost completed); approved a 164 unit apartment complex that will be 100% committed to affordable units - Broadstone Walk); and approved an 84-unit apartment community dedicated 100% to residents 55 and older making below the area median income - Abbey Spring. And finally, we have also partnered with developers to get 38 additional affordable units built within existing market rate housing projects that were approved this past fiscal year.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing affordable housing in Wake County?

Land availability and cost of land. It will be important to continue and to expand our partnerships with federal, state, and municipal government leaders as well as community leaders and organizations to address this need. We are making progress, but there is still work to be done.

Over 60 people move to Wake County every day. How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

First, by doing all of the work as outlined in Question 4.

Additionally, we will continue to keep property taxes as low as possible, and also be very thoughtful and intentional with economic development recruitment. We want to create good paying jobs that target a variety of skill sets in all geographical areas of Wake County. We will also continue to invest in early childhood education, K-12 public education, and Wake Tech Community college as we strive to graduate students ready for the work force. All of these efforts will assist our residents with upward economic mobility, which means increased household income.

If (re)elected, how will you advance racial equity in housing?

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work is very important to me as a mental health professional, Apex Town Council member, and candidate for the Wake County Board of Commissioners. These values are also priorities of the Apex Town Council and current Wake County Board of Commissioners and Government.

These priorities will be integrated in the work and decision-making that is done throughout departments daily as we develop policy, practices, and initiatives to meet the needs of all Wake County residents. The County DEI Director will also help lead these efforts.

It is important for elected officials to understand the history of redlining in our country as well as other discriminatory practices that have affected - and continue to affect - segments of the population.

The Commissioners also adopted a non-discrimination ordinance in October 2021 that protects residents from discrimination. The majority of Wake municipalities have adopted non-discrimination ordinances as well. These ordinances provide a path for residents who believe they have been discriminated against by a business or organization to file a complaint, and participate in a process to resolve the dispute.

Vickie Adamson (District 7)

What specific policies, practices, or initiatives will you implement to increase access to affordable housing across the county?

Continue to focus on developing new affordable housing. In March of this year, we started a Public/Private preservation fund and currently have raised over $60 million from the private sector. This money will be able to save a lot of housing. At our October 31st Housing Committee Meeting we are going to start the discussion on how to deploy this money. I would like to have your input.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing affordable housing in Wake County?

The disconnect between wages and the cost of housing. Even if a family can afford market rate housing our supply in low to the point even market rate housing is a challenge top find.

Over 60 people move to Wake County every day. How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

I am 61 so I understand the pressures of living on a fixed income. I am looking forward to working with Habitat and other advocacy group to lobby the General Assembly to import the low-income property tax credits. In the meantime, we will not foreclose on any owner occupied houses

If (re)elected, how will you advance racial equity in housing?

Yes.

Raleigh City Council

Mary-Ann Baldwin (Mayor)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

The high cost of land is probably the number one challenge, followed by exclusionary zoning that limits different types of housing choice. This Council is using city-owned land to build affordable housing, having recently partnered with two non-profits to achieve this goal. And we have approved the construction of accessory dwelling units, cottage courts and tiny homes, and changed zoning laws to allow for "missing middle" housing (townhomes, duplexes, triplexes and quads) in more areas of the city.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

The City has a goal of building 5,700 new affordable housing units by 2026. We are currently at 3,910, either constructed or in the development process. Our one-cent dedicated property tax for affordable housing, as well as our successful housing bond, will help us support gap funding for these projects with private and non-profit developers.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

Wake County currently has a property tax program for people who are disabled or over age 65, living on fixed incomes. We need to work with our churches and others to ensure that people know that assistance is available.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

The City has strong relationships with its non-profit housing providers. We will continue to work with them to provide gap funding on housing communities being built, provide city-owned land for their use to build affordable options and work with them to embrace housing choice so that accessory dwelling units, cottage courts, tiny homes, townhomes and other types of housing are incorporated into their efforts. We will also continue to financially support our non-profit partners through use of funding from our housing bond. Two examples include: (1) the $3M awarded to Healing Transitions to expand their men's and women's campuses so they can serve more residents dealing with addiction and mental health issues and (2) the $7M awarded to CASA to build Knight's Ridge, a community that will be built near our New Bern Avenue BRT line and include support services to ensure residents find housing stability.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

Please see answer to #8, above. All of these efforts help promote racial equity. By changing exclusionary zoning laws dating back to the 1950s, we promote equity in housing by providing housing choice. By working with our private and non-profit partners, we help increase housing supply. We will also continue to work with the Raleigh Housing Authority to redevelop Heritage Park, providing housing to those most in need. And we will continue to partner with Wake County, the lead agency on housing affordability and human services, to support their efforts to expand housing and keep people in their homes. The City also has a new program with Campbell Law School to offer eviction prevention services to those in need. And we'll be working on expungement of records for those who have faced eviction in the past.

DaQunanta Copeland (Mayor)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

Our current housing situation is depleted. The main drivers of affordability challenges are supply and demand, property taxes, development types, income, and demographics.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

I will advocate at the State level to cap the percentage increase abilities on rental property to sustain the livable wage according to the city. I will also utilize city owned land to develop true affordable housing with the ability to control cost. I will work with developers to create a system and partnership that will maintain the integrity of rental options.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

As Mayor I will work with the County to establish programs to utilize funds while allowing the City and County lawyers to guide us in a way that will not be outside of the City's capabilities.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

I will establish an effective and supportive relationship with organizations that's working to help eliminate the housing crisis by advocating and funding their programs.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

I will work with the any organizations that will effectively provide the racially despaired communities with education and real support to obtain and sustain quality and affordable housing. That will also go for 1st time home owners, college graduates, retirees, and our 1st responders on every level.

Terrance "Truth" Ruth (Mayor)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

Raleigh is currently one of the fastest growing cities in our nation, but all of the growth in the world means nothing for this city if it means making it less affordable to live here. Changes presented as solutions to unaffordable housing resulted in rising rents in low-income areas. It seems backwards to have an affordable housing solution play a part in displacing longtime residents and contributors to our environment as a city. With inflation becoming a stark reality for many people’s pockets, it is time to reconsider how to ensure that Raleigh is affordable at all.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

Through increasing affordable housing stock where it is actually needed, Raleigh brings the possibility of stabilizing its housing prices to approach the national average. We will build in areas that promise a higher quality of life as encouraged by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, allowing lower and middle income Raleigh residents to find housing. Our teachers, wage workers, and firefighters will then be able to live in desirable neighborhoods, while making our city less segregated through income. Through leveraging city assets and expanding Raleigh’s use of national and state level grant programs, housing accessibility can be directed toward those needing the support.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

With the local cost of living having seen continuous increase over the past few decades, a family who may have been doing well twenty years ago may now find themselves burdened by higher costs even with unchanging relative income. We seek to grant local organizations funding to bring economic investment to struggling neighborhoods as to reinvigorate distressed lower-income areas by creating new economic activity and affordable housing. Likewise we will expand access to public housing when appropriate to civic employees, and will prevent predatory rezoning in historic and disadvantaged neighborhoods to prevent the practice of developers gentrifying low-income neighborhoods.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

Community-based organizations were a major reason Raleigh was able to support families in depressed communities prior to the current economic downturn. Using city resources, we will take stock of what land and property can be converted to low-income housing, and will use the full city funding and grant money to directly financially support the housing providers who have served our city for decades.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

Raleigh has endured rapid changes over recent decades. Changes leading thousands of minority residents to be faced with the inability of affording to remain in the home and neighborhood they grew up in. Our neighbors have been left without an advocate, and consequently little consideration throughout large scale projects and zoning changes. I will work with community members and policy experts to ensure changes and projects proposed are responsible, effective, and inclusive. In addition to implementing regulations that reflect this, I personally believe in making time to share upcoming interests, accessible information and resources, and listen to feedback within the community before solutions or plans are solidified.

James Bledsoe (At-large)

We did not receive responses from this candidate.

Joshua Bradley (At-large)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

Currently, the city council leaves 80% AMI as the target affordability in rezoning cases. However, housing need surveys demonstrate that our focus should be on low-income housing, especially that which is 30% AMI and below. The gentrification in the city has pushed up home values in poorer neighborhoods, which has increased taxes, which puts an undue burden on poorer communities in general, and on people on fixed incomes in particular.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

I would encourage the city council to look at options to lower rents by building more housing at 60% AMI or less on city owned land, by letting developers know that that is our focus, by prioritizing low income housing when working on the budget, and by listening to what the non-profit housing providers need from the city.
The City Council could enlist the NCGA's help in passing a progressive property tax, inclusionary zoning, or vacancy taxes. These revenues could used for rental assistance and building more low cost housing.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

I would support a tax reduction for people who have lived in their house for more than 5 years and are being affected by gentrification of their area of the city.
I would make sure the city continues to invest in funds that assists residents facing eviction and foreclosure.
We could use code enforcement to identify people that need help and help them, rather than to push them out with excessive fines.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

I would prioritize collaborating with non-profit housing providers over for profit developers. Where needed, I would fight for grants and subsidies to help these providers create housing that focuses on low-income housing.
I would try to increase collaboration between non-profit housing supporters and the city and the county.
I would try to meet with and stay involved with non-profit housing providers, so that I and the rest of the council will have a better understanding of what they need, and work to provide the support that would have the greatest impact.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

I would do everything in my power to halt the current wave of gentrification of the city, which currently disproportionately impacts historically Black and brown communities in Southeast (such as College Park and Heritage Park) and Southwest Raleigh (such as the Method community). I would have an open-door policy for groups, such as the Wake County Housing Justice Coalition, that have been working on the ground for years to prevent the erasure of these communities and follow their lead and lift their voices.
I would propose that the city council pass a resolution to require that city councilors and city staff participate in racial and implicit bias training on a continual basis.
I also am a firm believer in real reparations for Black, brown and Indigenous peoples, to be determined by those affected.

Stormie Forte (At-large)

We did not receive responses from this candidate.

Anne S. Franklin (At-large)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

Our population is growing; land is not. Our housing supply has not kept up therefore prices are soaring. Plus, supplies do not match the needs of today’s many smaller households of 1-2 residents. Home ownership options have shrunk dramatically except for those with large purses. Aging neighborhoods are under siege from the buy cheap, flip and sell high syndrome. Smaller affordable houses are torn down and replaced with large houses unaffordable to most. Former affordable housing is disappearing at an alarming rate.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

Yes. Apartment living is a vital component of Raleigh’s attractive way of life. I have lived in apartments here thirty-one years of my adult life. It’s critical that a lot more units be built to ease our housing crunch. I welcome three to six story buildings wherever we can make them fit with adjacent uses. Raleigh should identify and work with existing apartment building owners to help them continue providing affordable housing.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

Expand public outreach so that everyone who qualifies for the “homestead” exemption is made aware of how to apply.

To keep homeowners in their homes, beef up home repair and modernization support, especially for improvements that reduce energy use.

Everywhere that multi-family housing is developed or re-developed, the City should pursue affordable units in the mix. Put Raleigh’s “creatives” to work on new solutions. Also explore potential financial initiatives such as deferring some of property taxes until qualified homeowners’ property is sold.We will look for ways to help residents and small business owners build wealth as they pay their rent, long-term.

Help get a lot more units built and plan for whole new communities where well-placed density + frequent transit + a short walk to green space can create attractive affordable living. There are multiple opportunities to re-develop large acreage along transit corridors. City contributions can help make the numbers work. Increasing housing availability can moderate housing prices. Let’s make it possible for City workers who support our clean water, sanitation, public safety and parks, to afford to live in Raleigh. And, naturally, work with programs such as Habitat for Humanity to aid success.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

The City may be able to help with land and infrastructure costs. Non-profits are an important partner to increase affordable housing. They also play a significant role in helping homeowners and renters be successful in their new homes.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

Reserve some of subsidized new homes for people who currently live in nearby neighborhoods. Work with Wake Tech and Wake Public Schools to do workforce training in skills that serve the building industry. Beef up programs that prepare minority contractors to compete successfully for work. Honor craftsmanship. Showcase skilled workers’ contributions to their own communities.

Jonathan Melton (At-large)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

In Raleigh we are struggling with rapid growth and rising costs, which is limiting supply and putting a lot of pressure on parts of the city already burdened by risk of displacement. This issue was precipitated by decades of poor land use planning and restrictive, exclusionary zoning laws.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

We must make it easier to build more housing, and more types of housing, in all parts of the city, to increase supply and reduce pressure on vulnerable areas and communities. Since elected, I have advocated and voted for zoning reform, to allow duplexes, cottage courts, tiny homes, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), townhouses, and apartments in areas where previously only single family homes were allowed to be built. These zoning changes will help with providing more housing supply and help stabilize, and over time, reduce rents. But we must also focus on subsidy for those who are homeless and unsheltered. I supported the Affordable Housing Bond which voters overwhelming approved in 2020. We also have a $1 cent sales tax the produces $7-8 million each year for affordable housing developments. After COVID, we were allocated federal money, including ARPA funds, which I supported applying to our housing needs, including purchasing a hotel for emergency housing. Also, I've advocated for city-owned land to be moved into production of deeply affordable housing, through long term land leases with local nonprofits, as well as sale of some city owned land by which the proceeds are transferred to our affordable housing fund.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

In addition to the policies I've outlined above, I support property tax abatement and relief. We should do a better job promoting the programs that are already offered by Wake County, but I know those programs only go so far, and not everyone qualifies. I would support expanding these tax abatement and relief programs

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

Since elected, I've met with and listened to non-profit housing providers to learn ways I can be more helpful from the City Council table. I value these partnerships. Also, as mentioned above, providing funding and land for new housing production is very important.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

A few things come to mind, first, eliminating exclusionary zoning is a big step. For decades, exclusionary zoning and poor land use planning segregated our cities by race and socioeconomic class. These practices are perpetuated and defended even today by folks in older, mostly white, and wealthy neighborhoods who protest new types of housing with signs like "protect our neighborhood" - from what? Further, we know that discriminatory practices have often excluded Black families from home ownership and the opportunity to build generational wealth. We must continue to fund ways to create homeownership opportunities, like providing money for down payment assistance. We must also build more, and ensure access to, affordable rentals, that includes supporting housing choice voucher mobility programs. Lastly, since elected I helped lead our efforts to fund the City of Raleigh Housing Justice Project, a partnership with Campbell Law School to provide assistance to low-income residents who are facing eviction and homelessness.

John Odom (At-large)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

All of the above named. We need to work with those who build houses to help create different types. The city should use property that it owns to allow additional housing to be build. We need to work with some of our church communities because they have available land for housing. And we need to work with non-profits that build affordable housing to keep it affordable rather than changing to market rate.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

By keeping taxes and services low. When the prices to owners go up, that is passed to renters so we must take that into consideration when we implement increases.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

In my 16 years as a Raleigh City Councilor, I have never voted for a tax increase.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

We already have an amount of taxes that directly go to affordable housing. I will continue to support that.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

Opportunity for good paying jobs and safety to operate in the City of Raleigh should give the opportunity to all the availability to own their own home in Raleigh.

Portia Rochelle (At-large)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

The challenges are development types. Less houses are being built for the ordinary working citizen. The cost of new developments are severely outpriced leaving the ordinary citizen without a chance of purchasing a home. Wake County is the largest growing county in NC. Raleigh is at the top of the list. I am concerned that people here are already struggling to make ends meet and to find living quarters they can afford. Rapid growth here pushed low-income people further down the list of reaching their goal.

Once elected, an effort will be made to produce solutions to integrate people to become homeowners if that is their desire.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?
The city has land that can be used to build affordable rental options. The problem comes in when the city sells the land or the building and the new owner is not obligated to keep the residences open to lower-income citizens. Not everyone chooses to purchase a home, so we must develop a workable solution to care for all our citizens.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

Gentrification is rapid in Raleigh. People are being pushed out of homes and feel they are being devalued. Also when new development occurs in an existing neighborhood the property taxes of people go up making it unaffordable for some people to keep their homes. Residents should be grandfathered in to keep taxes at a minimum, affordable rate. We need better programs to assist citizens faced with a tax issue. We need to examine the rules to assist beyond the age, income, and disability requirements to receive tax waivers. Also, we need to improve on making sure each resident is aware of the program that assists homeowners with waiving taxes.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

The non-profit housing providers do a good job in providing and educating citizens on how to sustain living quarters. I will work to increase the budget to assist these organizations in their mission.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

Once elected I would help look for grants through banks, etc. that specialize in helping to waive down payments, give lower interest rates, etc. to help bring a balance in racial equity in housing.

Mary Black-Branch (District A)

We did not receive responses from this candidate.

Whitney Hill (District A)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

I believe that the main driver in our housing shortage is because we are coming out Covid and in a catch up mode combined with rapid population growth. Labor shortages, material shortages combined with labor staffing issues in the permits department are making the recovery difficult. The lack of land is going to require higher density and creative zoning decisions while protecting the zoning of current residents as much as possible. I am in favor of high rises downtown and more multi-occupant buildings, but we need to protect our established neighborhoods as much as we can. In outer-lying areas we can have more multi-dwelling developments that have restaurants, stores, etc in the community in walking distance.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

At the end of the day, we are going to have to solve the supply issue. It does not matter what rent prices are, if the units are not available. We need to work with creative solutions to create enough units for all income levels so that prices will come down to normal market. I am in favor of zoning policies that ensure housing is available for all income levels. I would want City Council to work with nonprofits to provide assistance to those that need additional help in the extreme situations.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

I believe that we should freeze property taxes based on the more recent home appraisals (other than inflation) because these appraisals are based on a temporarily inflated market. Also when if the home values come down after the bubble, we should allow for taxes to be decreased for lower appraisals. We could look to into freezing property taxes for those on fixed incomes like social security.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

I believe in government working together with non-profits.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

I believe that zoning decisions need to respect and accommodate all income levels and that city services like busing need to be provided where the need is. I am against any discrimination in the real estate market or mortgage based on race and will look t protect that.

Catherine (Cat) Lawson (District A)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

Raleigh needs more housing at all economic levels, but particularly for entry-level and “missing middle” markets. Our affordability challenges are driven by numerous variables, including increased demand from all the new people moving to Raleigh, limited unused land suitable for new housing, increased building supply costs, and the length and cost of approval processes. Although there’s no quick fix during this time of growth, the best research on housing affordability shows increased supply is the best long-term solution when implemented alongside targeted subsidized housing programs that protect the most vulnerable community members. That means building density in the right places, increasing the types of housing that can easily be approved in the City, and continuing to invest the remaining funds from the 2018 Affordable Housing Bond.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

Rental prices increase when housing prices increase, so addressing the overall cost of Raleigh's housing market must be part of any plan to increase affordable rental options. Separately, I support offering incentives like expedited review processes for rental projects with significant affordable unit offerings and partnering with local non-profits to build new affordable rental properties. Realistically, state law limits the City's ability to directly intervene in rental pricing, so consistent focus on adding to our affordable rental supply is critical.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

I support the creation of a specialized fund to provide assistance to fixed-income and low-income Raleigh homeowners who are housing cost-burdened, as well as exploring whether options like housing grants or deferred property tax increases are permissible under state law.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

I firmly believe partnerships between local non-profit housing providers and the City maximizes impact. Partnerships like the CASA King's Ridge development and the new Southeast Raleigh Promise development plan on City-owned land will hopefully become the norm moving forward. I support continuing to find opportunities for more such partnerships as well as streamlining the development approval process for non-profit housing providers and identifying City-owned land that can be sold or leased long-term at a minimal cost to non-profit housing providers.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

I would first like to examine whether the City's existing Homebuyer Assistance and Homeowner Rehab and Repair Programs are being fully utilized; if not, I would work with the Office of Community Engagement on ways to build awareness of these programs. If they these programs' resources are currently being maxed out, then I would expand them. I would also like to commission a study identifying neighborhoods that have been historically under-invested in by the City, so that future decisions about City funds can take into account that historic neglect.

Minu Lee (District B)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

There is a lack of adequate affordable housing available across Raleigh. As the City’s population continues to exponentially increase, the Raleigh City Council must take immediate action to ensure that proper housing is built across the City. The main drivers of affordability challenges are suburban sprawl, exclusionary zoning, and a lack of housing options. Suburban sprawl leads to an increase in traffic, more greenhouse gas emissions from people making their daily commutes in their personal vehicles, and drastically reduces the amount of land available for more dense housing to be built on. Exclusionary zoning is another driver of the housing affordability challenges we face due to the fact that it can heavily limit the type of housing available in the City. Eliminating modern exclusionary zoning practices would open the door to a wide variety of housing options to be built throughout the City, therefore enabling a pathway to affordability and homeownership for many residents in Raleigh. For the most part, housing choices in Raleigh tend to predominantly be either single-family detached homes or apartments/condos. There is a need for more ‘missing middle’ housing (e.g., multiplexes, townhomes, etc.) to ensure that people are able to afford different housing types.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

The City of Raleigh must work towards incorporating dense, affordable, low-income housing, increasing the housing stock/options by minimizing exclusionary zoning practices, and ensuring that new housing developments incorporate affordable housing for city residents >50% AMI. As a member of the Raleigh City Council, I would work to seek new community land trusts to develop more affordable housing units as observed in other communities such as Durham. I would also advocate for the incorporation of affordable, low-income housing units in new housing development projects.

In addition, it is imperative to move away from utilizing exclusionary zoning practices such as single-family only zoning to open a new realm of housing options that residents are more likely to afford rather than forcing two options upon them (single-family detached house vs. apartments). In order to account for expanding and diversifying the current housing stock, we must increase walkability and access to public transit. The increasing traffic in Raleigh is a detriment to our environment and it must be addressed. By expanding public transit infrastructure, Raleigh can focus on combating emissions and traffic congestion. Increasing walkability and connectivity will be vital in protecting our environment and promoting the development of safe and affordable housing.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

Taxes should not continue to go up and be an additional burden on our property owners while corporations continue to get tax breaks for little to nothing in return. It would be my pertinent duty to find ways to fund the City’s budget without leaving the taxpayers to pay the bulk amount. As a member of the Raleigh City Council, I intend to partner with nonprofit organizations such as ONE Wake and Habitat for Humanity to set up a grant program for homeowners who are unable to pay for any increase in their property taxes. I would strenuously advocate for the development of a tax relief program for property owners who have lived at their property for a certain amount of time to protect homeowners who have a deep history with Raleigh. I would also prohibit tax breaks for large corporations unless they invest in our communities.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

I fully intend to partner with non-profit housing providers to ensure that the City and such organizations are working together to ensure that the action is being taken to house our homeless and assist those who can not afford an increase in their property taxes. I will also work to increase the housing supply to reduce the rising cost of housing and promote generational wealth especially in predominantly minority/low-income neighborhoods.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

I will ensure that increased funding is being directed towards predominantly minority communities in Raleigh and promote the development of community land trusts by partnering with the Raleigh Area Land Trust. I will also work with developers to ensure that a sufficient percentage of affordable, low-income housing is being built with new development projects while also listening to members of majority-minority neighborhoods and organizations seeking racial equity in housing.

Jakob Lorberblatt (District B)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

Rising housing costs, limited housing availability, new development catering to the higher bidders and lack of affordable rentals due to sky rocketing prices and lack of new construction.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

I would favor any programs that offer a percentage of the available rental properties to an affordability level based on the current mean income and cost of living in the city. In addition programs to assist those displaced by rising rents will need to be evaluated.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

As property taxes rise income of the resident as well as capability to earn (eg: retired, disabled, caring for the elderly or young children) should be factored into programs to offset those issues.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

I would provide any assistance I can to keep them informed of opportunities to procure land, properties or programs that could assist in their efforts to keep the most vulnerable of our population housed.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

Anything I can, there is a lot to evaluate in a program that actually effectively addresses the issue with race in housing. At the assistance tier we need to evaluate our efforts and keep them well balanced so that we are accurately addressing the portions of the population that are being most adversely affected. In addition I would support watch dog type programs in our region that track the success rate of applications in the name of equality.

Megan Patton (District B)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

Raleigh has a problem with housing affordability. Folks are struggling to find housing within their budget to rent, let alone to buy. We have neighbors paying well over 50% of their income toward housing — sometimes their entire paychecks — leaving them with impossible choices about how to make ends meet.

As Raleigh continues to grow and the premium on land rises, we have watched property taxes rapidly increase. Likewise, the continued expansion of the tech sector in our area means that there is a growing stream of folks willing and able to pay high market rates for their housing. In both the rental and ownership space, without much in the way of governmental guard rails, the private sector can continue catering to folks at the top end of the income spectrum, which is increasing the supply of market rate housing, but not adding to affordable housing stock.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?
To support affordable rental options, we must continue to build affordable housing units that are equipped to provide permanent supportive housing to our most vulnerable neighbors, while also exploring models of social housing that allow for mixed income communities where the market rate residents offset some costs for upkeep for the community. We must also explore how land use tools, like overlay districts, can be leveraged to create affordability requirements across our city. Additionally, we need to continue to find creative ways to get housing vouchers accepted by more landlords.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

If we want to prevent displacement due to rising costs, and help folks become homeowners, we must reduce barriers to home ownership by doubling down on home-buyers assistance programs and find relief for longtime residents who are burdened by rising property taxes.

To begin, we can work with other municipalities, the county, and other stakeholders to identify gaps in qualification for state-level property tax exemptions. I will also work with my partners at the state level to pass meaningful legislation that limits the amount of due diligence money a home buyer can put down so that regular people have a real chance to compete against giant corporate buyers, who can offer cash and significantly more than asking prices.

Reducing the weight that homeowners carry won’t be easy, but we can start by getting creative with how we implement policies that might catch the most vulnerable off guard — like code violations. We should explore ways to limit the out-of-pocket burden for something like someone’s porch falling out of compliance. These violations should never be so onerous that residents are forced to move out of their homes to avoid the cost.5

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

If elected, I will listen. Listening to experts in the field and the communities they serve could not be more important. I will also provide funding from the city budget and make sure that we do our part to leverage other funding sources, like federal dollars.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

What I hear from Raleigh residents is that the city hasn’t done enough to acknowledge how the decisions Raleigh leaders made in the past brought us into the housing and gentrification crisis we’re in today. Something I’d like to work toward in the next council is greater listening and a more comprehensive acknowledgement of how Raleigh’s practices, historically, have prevented racial equity. This includes practices like redlining.

I’d like to see the city set forward an ambitious plan to reach housing parity — that the percentage of homeowners by race, for instance, matches the composition of our city. While we work to create a city where no residents are housing cost burdened, I’d like to see the council provide even more energy to communities that have been historically divested in and where the residents are the most cost burdened. Additionally, I will work proactively to ensure that decisions made at the council table don’t have unintended consequences for communities of color.

Frank Pierce (District B)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

The current situation is terrible. We have fallen short on so many levels. There is not just one thing that has put us in this crisis. It is our failure to properly work to prevent this from happening. As for the future we need to have better public/ private partnerships to build workforce housing. Only 10% of our First Responders can live in the city because of cost that is awful. We need to do better at grant writing so we can get federal HUD grants to help as well. If we want to actually create affordable housing we have to start from day 1 and work until we have a real plan in place.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

This has hurt my district a lot. We need to be working with rental communities to make sure we protect them the same way we would homeowners. There are also HUD programs that can work in our favor to help ease the burden of these huge increases.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

I plan on working with the NCGA to put policy in place in Raleigh that will freeze property taxes on the elderly as well as those making less than 150% of the poverty line. There are cities across the nation that have done this. I will work to make this happen with the legislation.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

I have been building with habitat for years with multiple organizations. My Father-in-Law Johnny Glover also worked heavily with them a lot in last 9 years. I know that our local habitat is one of the biggest builders in the country. I plan on working to expand the relationship with them and other nonprofit builders so we can ha e a more equitable city.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

Growing up in Southeast Raleigh I have seen firsthand the racial difference in equitable housing. I will work from day one to make sure we change this and we actually make this a city for all.

Corey Branch (District C)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

Challenges to housing affordability is driven by the lack of supply and the high demand for housing. The demand for more housing places pressure on developers to develop more land for housing, driving up the cost of land. In addition, builders have not been able to receive all of the supplies they need due to supply chain issues, which drives up the cost for building materials. To alleviate the housing shortage we must create more housing to ease the demand and hope that the supply chain issues will be resolved soon.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

I support the city developing its own property for housing, which would also allow us to control the development type. Supporting non-profits such as CASA and Habitat allows us to leverage city funds for development of property with affordable rates. I also support increasing economic opportunities to help residents gain a higher income, which would make more housing options affordable to them.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

I will continue to work with county commissioners and city staff to develop programs to aid homeowners. Conversations with our General Assembly members for assistance on programs and modifying our statues to give us more options to address property tax assistance is also key.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

Since I have been on City Council, we have increased funding and opportunities to develop affordable housing. I will continue to work with Passage Homes, DHIC, Habitat for Humanity, and other non-profits to locate land, utilize our tax increment loans, and provide grant opportunities, as I have over the past 7 years.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

Too often, we have separate entities have separate conversations on racial equity in housing and we need to bring everyone together to develop a plan of action. We need to bring everyone into the same room, with the community, to develop a plan and action items. I want to work more with OneWake in this area as well as host a workshop with non-profits, realtors, lenders, and developers.

Frank Fields III (District C)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

Lack of land is becoming the problem. We are becoming too resident-dense. This drives supply and demand issues. Especially as it relates to people from out of the area coming and out-purchasing residents her who can't afford to live in the city that they live and work in.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

By supporting the thought and process of Raleigh (the city) being owners of units and complexes. That way we can create our own rent processes, be our residents' landlords and not depend on private owners who can make rent prices whatever they choose. We need to buy land and complexes and then we can make sure rent is affordable for our residents.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

I would allocate funds for homeowner assistance--especially as it relates to first time homebuyers. Also, we can allocate funds to supplement mortgage payments (at least 3 months) to help bridge the gap of people who may be not be able to pay mortgage immediately to keep them in their homes.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

In short--I would do everything I could to support it. It's a necessity and of great importance.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

Create programs that are INTENTIONAL in getting our black and brown families in housing. And we have to remember it's all about information and funding. We have to be INTENTIONAL in the outreach part to get these families the information to put them in homes, allow them the be owners and build wealth.

Wanda Hunter (District C)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

The current housing situation in our community is a dire need for low income housing and rampant gentrification. The major drivers of our affordability challenges are low wages vs cost of living increases, increasing property taxes as a result of gentrification, development type vs need, and people vs profit.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

Affordable rental options can be addressed several ways, some of which are increasing wages, community benefits agreements, recommended goals during rezoning requests, inclusionary zoning, and rent control. Some of these solution have a longer process that may require action from the general assembly but I know those options are worth it.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

I plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes by doing an assessment to determine who is in highest demand for tax relief. I also think that it is important that the city fill the gaps of the county's tax program to ensure between the city and county we have a well rounded efficient program that can be of assistance to people with different circumstances

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

I will commit to support non-profit housing providers by bringing them all to the table to discuss what issues are top priority and developing solutions.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

To advance racial equity in housing I would make sure that the City of Raleigh Fair Housing Hearing Board have the powers required to investigate discriminatory practices throughout the city. I would also propose a race equity training regimen so that all staff would have some baseline knowledge of what race equity is and looks like.

Rob Baumgart (District D)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

The trend the last few years has been to tear down existing homes, split the lot, and build the largest house zoning and impervious surface allows. This has been fueled by ridiculously low interest rates and the influx of well paid highly educated people moving to town. This has led to an imbalance in affordability while eliminating "naturally occurring affordable housing" in your older 60's ranches on larger lots.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

I believe we should promote the idea of ADUs even further and explore the option of incentives to have our citizens with those bespoke 60's ranches in question 5 build long term efficiency units in or on their property. While many will pursue the AirBNB model, I believe a reduction in taxes or city fees (like free water instead of a tax credit) in exchange for renting an ADU to a local person(s) below a preset threshold would unlock the potential for hundreds of new affordable units. Done correctly, this will add diversity to the tapestry of our neighborhoods and be a beautiful thing. Also, build. Let's fast track permits with an affordable housing component and partner with the developers who will bring density where we prescribed it in our comprehensive plan and along the coming Bus Rapid Transit routes.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

This fight needs to be pushed on the State Legislature. I would fully support a freeze of tax rates for retired individuals or those on fixed incomes but we're not allowed to by state statute.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

Partner, Plan, Promote is all over my website for "Rob Has Real Issues". We are blessed with a very smart and supportive neighbors in Raleigh. As an individual investor I have made decisions to help the community through my own property holdings, i.e. being the start/stop for City of Oaks Marathon for years at no cost, just to make sure it had a staging area and could happen... well I did get awesome long-sleeved shirts and maybe people think I ran the 26.2...

Anyways, as a council member I would look for ways to exercise the sheer volume of muscle the city possesses in anyway that accomplished the goals of partnering, planning, and promoting a better life for our people. Open to exploring donating or leveraging vacant city owned parcels dedicated to helping people become homeowners. Open to the idea of allowing our non-profits use city land for expansion of their ministries. Whether that be storage or meeting space or staging areas like the marathon. Expanding grants to organizations with a track record and solid plan would be in my purview as well. No offense government employees, but in my years as an adult I've found when things are run by private entities they tend to go a little smoother than government run entities. Therefore, I would agree to hear out any organization with a heart and passion for our community.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

So back to question 8 on this one. I believe there is real opportunity for the city to utilize it's vacant land holdings to promote home ownership. Whether we partner with the Raleigh Land Trust, or step up and take a second position mortgage on a "lot" in order to help the new homeowner qualify for a construction loan or we simply expand the capacity of our current $20,000 Homebuyers Assistance Program there are ways we can close this generational gap. I'm excited to have the opportunity to listen to those with the plans, that need a partner and together we promote all our wonderful people with thoughtful growth.

Jane Harrison (District D)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

Supply, subsidy, and stability are the three ingredients that contribute to housing affordability. What we must understand though is that one ingredient without the other two, or two ingredients without the third, mean that we will not achieve the goal of ensuring all our residents can continue to call Raleigh home.

On supply: Demand for housing is high in Raleigh and will continue to grow, putting upward price pressure on the current supply of homes. I am an economist. And I can draw a graph to show that, with everything else held constant, increased housing supply brings down prices. And, yet, in our current environment, it often does the opposite. Most developers aim for the top of the market, not for the greatest need. And increasing supply at the top does nothing to reduce demand at the bottom. The housing market is sticky – homes don’t go down in value in a wonderful place to live like Raleigh. Building new high-end housing doesn’t quickly trickle down into more options for the middle class or those with a tight budget and a family or fixed income.
On subsidy: The city’s $80 million affordable housing bond is one example of funds that provide public subsidy to purchase land, develop new public housing, and contribute to programs that preserve naturally occurring affordable housing. We also need additional subsidy support from the state and federal government. I advocate for working with our government partners to advocate for higher levels of investment in affordable housing. These issues are prevalent across our growing cities; it’s not only Raleigh that has the need. Municipalities must come together with one voice to push an affordable housing agenda.
On stability: Raleigh needs a legislative agenda that advocates for rent stabilization, inclusionary zoning for affordability (different from missing middle), and tenant protections. Rent stabilization would limit year over year increases to a more reasonable growth rate; for example, Minneapolis enacted a similar policy last year. Inclusionary zoning for affordability would mean requirements for affordability in new developments of a certain scale. There could be stipulations for affordability at the 100%, 80%, 60%, and 30% AMI levels. Tenant protections would involve more safeguards for renters from being evicted. If a landlord decides to increase their rents, tear down a rental or get out of the business entirely, renters need enough time and additional resources to find another place to live. For example, Seattle provides financial support for relocation.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

Our housing marketplace is healthy when numerous housing options are available at a wide variety of price points. Quality housing for city residents <30%, <50%, and <80% of AMI must be a priority in all future development projects. We also need opportunities for small-scale developers to create townhomes, duplexes, and condominiums, in addition to single-family houses. As stated above, we need a mix of improvements to supply, subsidy and stability to bring about affordable rental and home ownership options.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

I advocate for tax abatement and utility relief for low income home owners to prevent displacement. We also need additional investments in programs to repair homes and help people stay in place. I am a member of ONE Wake and applaud their effort to secure investments from Wake County and the municipalities throughout our region to keep people in their homes.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

I’m encouraged by our non-profit housing providers, groups like Wake County Habitat For Humanity, NC State University’s HOST program, Oak City Cares, DHIC, and Passage Home who have made affordable, safe, decent housing their mission. The city can contribute directly to these programs, applying funds from the affordable housing bond as well as setting aside a proportion of the general budget to contribute to needed housing projects. With a coordinated legislative agenda amongst municipalities, we can also better advocate for funds and policy needed to allow our non-profit housing providers to meet the needs they see every day.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

Homeownership is one of the most straightforward paths to building wealth. And it’s out of reach for too many families – especially Black families. There is a 30% gap in homeownership between black and white households. Decades of outright discrimination by the federal government denied Black families homeownership subsidies that white families received. Government regulators ignored warning signs as federal financial institutions targeted minority communities with subprime mortgages that sucked billions of dollars in wealth away.

Safe, quality, and affordable housing should be available to all people and we must support efforts to construct a variety of housing types to accommodate our diverse population – families with children, single persons, elderly who wish to age in place, low-income households that need access to transit, etc.

Equal housing opportunities are needed and can be advanced with the following policies:

Property tax abatement for low-income homeowners
City purchase of land along transit corridors to establish new affordable housing complexes which allow for a mix of income levels including market-rate housing
Incentives for first-time homebuyers including affordable mortgage credit
Public housing as a safety net for poor and vulnerable households
Transitional housing for the formerly incarcerated
Historic federal investments to increase housing supply – build, preserve, and rehab units affordable to lower-income families
Prohibition of housing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran status, or the source of one’s income

Todd Kennedy (District D)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

On housing affordability, the city has made progress on a number of fronts including public subsidies, zoning reforms, public private partnerships under low-income tax credit programs that make our city money go further, using city owned land for affordable housing, and more help for first time home buyers and for aging seniors to keep their home. Despite those efforts, the housing crisis has gotten worse as a result of a diverse set of drivers. We can and must do more.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

The city needs to help facilitate bringing more market rate housing online with our private sector partners. Removing unnecessary barriers during the approval process and ensuring sufficient city staffing and responsiveness for reviews will help in this regard. More housing will put downward pressure on rents and help balance supply and demand. In addition, city support of preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing should be a priority just as much as new affordable housing builds. Lastly, I support the use of city-owned land for the creation of affordable housing units. The City Council has started that process in a few limited situations, but I want to see more of it and projects completed faster because I recognize the urgency and injustice of this housing crisis.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

Recognizing that so many in our community are struggling right now, I want the city to move aggressively to forge partnerships with Wake County and with our local nonprofits to reduce the additional property tax burden on low to moderate income residents. In areas of the city experiencing gentrification, the city’s focus needs to be on helping those that may be displaced (e.g., more notice, resources to relocate) and preventing displacement where we can through property tax relief and preserving naturally occurring affordable housing via partnerships with groups like the emerging Raleigh Area Land Trust. I believe there is room to grow that partnership and others in significant ways.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

As a former member of the DHIC board of directors and a Habitat for Humanity volunteer, family selection committee member, and a university partnership co-founder, I believe non-profit housing providers are one of the keys to solving the housing crisis. The city has had a successful history of partnering with organizations like these and we should seek to strengthen those partnerships where we can. One example is with the Raleigh Area Land Trust. The model for that organization is built on homeownership and long term affordable housing stock. With additional support including on the operations funding side, I believe this group can increase its impact considerably joining the many other wonderful non-profits in this space.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

I will support the implementation of the Raleigh Equity & Inclusion Action Plan and the efforts of the Office of Equity and Inclusion ensuring that housing is a key component. As a former Chair of the Raleigh Human Relations Commission, I am committed to equity in our city. Furthermore, there is no part of our city that does not have a need for affordable housing and approaches should account for this. When you understand that housing costs are second only to transportation costs for most families' budgets, you can see that we need affordable housing in every part of our city. It's not just about getting people in housing that is safe and affordable, it is also about getting people in housing that is close to their place of employment, their childrens' schools, and our city parks, and providing additional means to ensure that connectivity (e.g., more transit options). That is what equity in housing means to me - that every neighborhood and every part of our city offers affordable options for people to live their best lives.

Jennifer Truman (District D)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

Raleigh, like many cities in the country, has a shortage of available and affordable housing. Because our city is one of the fastest growing, with people moving here from other parts of the state and the country, the housing shortage is amplified. The shortage is a result of long term systems that have limited supply and forced construction costs to rise. The shortage has been felt directly by Raleigh residents who are experiencing rising rents and difficulty finding houses available to buy, particularly at rates that average residents can afford. Sprawling single family zoning is an inefficient and expensive way to grow a city, so Raleigh needs to embrace more diverse types of housing, from duplexes to small apartments, to mixed-use density downtown and along transit corridors. And because the cost to build any type of housing now exceeds what people making below average incomes can afford, public subsidy of affordable housing is also needed. To put it simply, we need to build more housing, and we need to build more subsidized affordable housing.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

Rent prices are increasing rapidly and about half of Raleigh residents are renters. As a City Council, there are not many legal paths available for directly impacting rent rates. However, one of the most impactful things the City Council can do is incentivize building more housing. Recent changes have legalized missing middle housing, diverse building types, and small apartment buildings. These changes will mean that new housing that is built provides more housing choices and affordability. The next big moves are to incentivize these types of projects. This could include policies for providing expedited permitting for affordable housing projects or partnering with non-profits to provide grants to build accessory dwelling units or cottage courts available for rental voucher recipients. More creativity is needed to ensure that affordable options are available throughout the city as more projects are built.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

Many long-term Raleigh homeowners have expressed a concern about rising property taxes as their homes become more valuable. This is particularly problematic in historically disinvested and minority communities in South and Southeast Raleigh. Expanding the City’s existing assistance programs for long term homeowners either through direct tax relief or other assistance, such as home repair or utility assistance is needed. These types of programs can’t be enacted by the City alone, and will require partnership with Wake County and the State legislature as well as community organizations.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

Non-profit housing providers are a critical part of creating more affordable housing in Raleigh. As trusted community organizations, non-profit partners are able to raise funds and facilitate housing projects that the private market cannot. Because affordable housing requires subsidy, the City can utilize partnerships with non-profit housing providers to deliver more units faster than the City may be able to provide directly. The current housing situation requires multiple solutions and partners.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

Raleigh needs to acknowledge it has a troubled history with discriminatory environmental and land use zoning decisions. Acknowledging this history, and its causes rooted in single-family zoning and development of naturally occurring affordable housing in major floodplains give suggestions of how to move forward. An equitable future and a sustainable future depend on building differently than we have for the past half century. The zoning regulations and disinvestments over the past decades have led to the systemic issues we see today, including gentrification. Zoning reforms such as allowing duplexes and small apartments in single family zoned neighborhoods, eliminating parking minimums, and encouraging cottage courts have been critical changes to those systems to correct those past inequities. We need to continue the work started by this Council, to encourage incremental and innovative building types that will shape Raleigh into a better place for all its residents.

Christina Jones (District E)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

Our housing situation in Raleigh is a crisis. There are so many drivers to that, but gentrification and lack of willingness to challenge developers to include housing for all income levels is resulting in our city loosing around 4,000 units of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing each year and only replacing 600. Increasing property taxes for those living in areas that have been targeted for increased density has pushed many residents to move because they can no longer afford to live there.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

In addition to what the city is currently doing, which isn't nearly enough to satisfy the need, we need to work with current landlords to help them keep their units affordable. Buildings that offer 100 affordable units is a piece to the puzzle, but partnering with developers and current landlords to keep residents in their current homes is needed in order to prevent further gentrification.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

Learning about programs which other organizations are already working on to battle displacement is where I would start. The city has already given big tax breaks to developers in order to lure them to the area, but what about current residents? If there is enough money to give the wealthy tax breaks, it is more than possible to do the same for those we are elected to represent. Exploring the idea of community land trusts can help reduce costs, up to 40%, by taking away the land concern from purchasing a home. If the city owned the land, we could control prices better than what we currently have.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

In all levels of government, it is clear that partnering with non-profit housing providers offers a tangible solution in helping residents stay in their homes. Allocating financial resources to these providers will help them do the work they have been doing and give the city valuable information and community input from their extensive engagement and outreach programs in regards to what is wanted/needed. Helping to cover the gap between the cost of building or renovating a home, and the price at which it can be sold at, will help bring new construction to the market at an affordable rate.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

Just building more housing isn't working in our city. The target of that growth is held with our wealthiest residents and "trickle-down" housing is not going to keep residents in their homes. Affordable housing and racial equity go hand in hand because as we see prices rising, we don't see wages going up anywhere near the same ratio. Service Industry workers, transit operators, and our first responders have not seen their income grow at a substantial rate and they are being left behind. As city leaders, we must demand stronger Community Benefits in all new rezoning projects that will include residents below the 80% Area Median Income and uplift those making 30%-50% AMI.

David Knight (District E)

Describe the current housing situation in our community. What are the main drivers of affordability challenges (property taxes, development types, lack of land, etc.)?

I was elected during what experts considered a housing crisis, and I believe we are still in one. This is due in large part to a lack of homes - especially affordable units - and a regulatory environment in Raleigh that has far too often stifled smart growth principles. I believe high demand for housing and land is the main driver of housing costs. A unique factor for Raleigh is the significant amount of property in the city limits that is set aside for tax-exempt purposes - including state government facilities, park property, and the campuses of local schools, colleges and universities. While these public and civic sites are vital for our local economy, they are not a part of our local tax base or residential land area. Raleigh’s remaining land must be used wisely to ensure people can afford to live near where they work, learn, and play.

Rent prices in Raleigh have increased by roughly 50% in the last year. How will you support affordable rental options?

We need a holistic response to the issue of rising rent costs. Subsidized housing is a large part of the solution, and Raleigh is investing more in subsidized housing than ever before. We are also taking proactive measures to purchase land near transit corridors for future development of affordable housing units, and we are partnering with nonprofits like CASA and Southeast Raleigh Promise to construct rental housing that meets unique community needs. We also need to ensure that there are enough market rate rental units to meet demand, so that the market rate is not out of step with the median income. City leaders have the responsibility to act on what the government can do and to highlight what the community can do to achieve our shared goals of housing affordability. For example, people who live in HOA communities can work together to revise their community covenants to be more welcoming of renters, and the public can advocate for a greater supply of rental units by showing support for small- and large-scale multifamily housing. While these types of developments can draw strong opposition, we need housing advocates supporting proposals for more housing units in our city. I remain committed as ever to sustainable growth practices for our City, and increasing our housing supply is foundational to this work.

How do you plan to assist homeowners and prevent displacement due to rising housing costs such as property taxes?

The City of Raleigh has made stabilization a primary focus in our housing efforts, including funding for down payment assistance and home rehabilitation. We are also constantly exploring new initiatives - such as the Neighborhood Homes Tax Credit, a potential financing mechanism that may be used to help people remain in their homes; this is a tool that developers, lenders, and local governments could leverage to finance home construction and rehabilitation in certain areas, including areas at risk of gentrification. We also need to do more with homeowner education to ensure people know their rights and options before selling their homes or when they are facing eviction. Our new partnership with Campbell Law School to establish the Housing Justice Project will help those at risk of losing their homes by providing legal guidance and advice.

If elected, what will you do to support non-profit housing providers?

Non-profit housing providers are the experts in affordable housing solutions, and they are well attuned to the changing needs of our community. The city has been fortunate to partner with a number of organizations that help us ensure we get the maximum impact from our investments. I am glad the Affordable Housing Bond offers flexibility for us to take advantage of new opportunities that become available with our partner agencies, and I look forward to continuing our great partnerships with these agencies.

If elected, what will you do to advance racial equity in housing?

We know that the housing crisis disproportionately impacts communities of color, so our strategies and solutions must be considered through an equity lens. Building and preserving affordable units across our city will help advance racial equity in housing, and we must also continue to create opportunities for homeownership, which is the single most common pathway for building generational wealth. City leaders must be mindful of the discriminatory land use and lending practices of the past that led to the current racial inequities in housing, so that we can make well-informed decisions for Raleigh’s future. These decisions include providing support for down payment assistance or home rehabilitation and information about homeowners’ rights.

I’m also interested in advancing equity in service delivery to our neighborhoods - including the public amenities that make communities feel vibrant, safe, and well-connected. We’re currently revamping our sidewalk construction program so that new sidewalks are built where the needs are greatest based on objective data - not just where citizens have successfully managed an outdated and cumbersome petition process. Similarly, city staff are now using data to determine where tree planting is most needed on city streets; this data comes from our urban heat mapping project, which showed us which parts of our city experience up to a 20 degree difference in heat due to a lack of trees or an overabundance of pavement and concrete. It’s important that we continue to incorporate equity principles into all of our city services and programs, and I believe Raleigh is making great progress towards that goal.

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Advocacy News & Updates

Advocacy

Advocating for better housing policy
“In a word, life as a homeowner is just better.”

At Habitat Wake, our mission is to build homes, communities and hope. Going beyond the bricks and mortar, we partner with homebuyers to build not just homes, but also a sense of stability and belonging—or, as Habitat homeowner Keena puts it, a feeling of “better.”
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Advocacy

Election Day is coming up – don't forget your Voter ID!
Voting is a powerful way to use your voice and support affordable housing advocates running for office. Before you go to the polls it is important to remember that, starting this year, voters will need to present an acceptable form of Voter ID at the ballot box. This could include a NC driver’s license or any of the other types of IDs found on this helpful list from Democracy NC:
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Advocacy

An Equity Lens on our 2023 Policy Priorities
Dig deeper with us!

Historic discrimination in U.S. housing policy has been a driver of inequalities that persist today. At Habitat Wake, we know we have a responsibility to raise awareness about the continuing effects of these policies and to advocate for opportunities that increase affordable housing access for all.
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Affordable Housing

Local elections are coming up: why your vote matters
Voting for our local, state, and national representation has always been an important tradition in American life. Presidential elections by far get the most attention and highest voter turnout, in the 2020 national election the NC voter turnout had around a 75% turnout and the 2021 municipal election had a 15% turnout. However, that does not mean that other elections aren’t just as important. In many ways, local elections actually have a more direct impact on our lives. In terms of affordable housing, municipal governments have some powerful tools at their disposal.
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Advocacy

Advocates call for affordable housing funding in local budgets, win over $3M in new funding
Local budgets across Wake County and Johnston County have now been officially approved for the 2024 Fiscal Year. And thanks to Habitat Wake’s Advocacy Ambassadors and hundreds of community members advocating for affordable housing funding, local decision makers made significant investments in our community. Advocates wrote comments, spoke at the budget hearings, and attended the hearings decked out in their Habitat t-shirts.
- Read more about Advocates call for affordable housing funding in local budgets, win over $3M in new funding
Affordable Housing

Hammering with Habitat: Elected Officials Build Day Was a Hit
On Saturday, June 17th, elected officials from across Wake and Johnston counties came out to Old Poole Place in Raleigh to join in Elected Officials Build Day. Fifteen members of municipal, county, state governments and staff participated by lending their time and energy to building houses alongside Habitat volunteers.
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