Is Affordable Housing really Affordable?
Generally affordable is defined as requiring no more than 30% of a household’s income being spent on housing. For the City of Raleigh, affordability is based on a percentage of the Area Median Income (AMI). Housing funded by the city is defined as affordable if it is in reach of those earning between 30% – 80% AMI. Without knowing what Raleigh’s AMI is or what local salaries are, there really is no way of knowing who affordable housing is affordable for. What we learn when we know the numbers is that to truly be affordable, Raleigh needs to focus its housing efforts at 60% AMI and BELOW.
New Bern Ave Public Hearing Comments
Several members of the public spoke in opposition to the mass upzoning proposed for New Bern Ave through the city-initiated case Z-92-22. We are publishing a selection of those comments made by speakers who have given us permission to print their comments.
City Council Meetings 2.6.24
Highlights City Council voted unanimously to restore a relationship with Citizen Advisory Councils (CACs) to include free monthly access to meeting rooms, provision of technology to support virtual meetings, and support for capability building for future leaders At...
CACs Are Back, We’re Taking Down the Clock!
Livable Raleigh, a citizens group advocating for effective community engagement on city issues, congratulates City Council for its decision today reinstating Citizens Advisory Councils. The decision pushed by Mayor Baldwin four years ago to cut off the CACs was a mistake, and the vacuum it created has been apparent in the years since then. Today’s decision begins to rectify that mistake.
Raleigh Chamber reports possible election format changes
Like a child who is told no by one parent, this council now wants to go ask the other parent to see if they can get what they want. Do they just plan to keep asking the question until they get the answer they want?
RCAC expects recognition vote from City Council – Press Release
The Raleigh Citizen Advisory Council board is looking forward to a City Council vote on Tuesday, February 6 to correct a mistake that was done to Raleigh residents 4 years ago. See full press release
Don’t Ban Video Presentations
when I have used presentations, they have allowed me to better show the orientation of a townhome development proposed in the single family neighborhood of Woodcrest. I have used presentations to show where mixed-use development would be beneficial along major traffic arteries.
January 30, 2024 City Council Meeting Highlights
A. 7:00 P.M. EVENING AGENDA B. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER BY THE MAYOR C. MATTERS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING 1. Comprehensive Plan Amendment CP-7-22: New Bern Station Area Planning 2. Rezoning Z-92-22: New Bern Station Area Planning, 744...
Z-92, a truly deceptive, destructive plan
Please, ask yourself why staff is proposing to put the TOD overlay in place and then, head fake! Wipe it out in the same rezoning case with a totally unrelated and massive up-zoning of 744 properties. Ask yourself why Mayor Baldwin thinks that’s a good idea.
Property valuation increases come with a cost
A neighborhood is most fortunate when it is somewhere in the middle: Prosperous enough that residents can live in safety, and find it worthwhile to maintain their homes, but not so prosperous that residency is determined only by income, and the soul of the neighborhood is lost.