Allowing more smaller, affordable units on a lot that would otherwise contain one expensive unit has clearly hit a sweet spot with Portland builders and affordability advocates. Portland’s housing reforms aren’t a silver bullet, but they are a powerful reminder to Raleigh that well-designed policies can produce affordable, human-scaled homes in Raleigh neighborhoods people already love.
You have heard us speak about the potential exorbitant cost of choosing this route. Now more than ever costs are so important because of the city budget shortfall. This project has grown from 4 million to over 11 million largely because of the chosen route.
When you just announced a $13 million budget shortfall and probable property tax increase, it is irresponsible to spend money on a poet laureate.
A good planning process starts with defining a planning area and noting its features. We’ve got that —in a Comprehensive Plan whose interpretation and use should remain stable through the update cycle.
When public funds, private interests, and historic institutions intersect—transparency is not optional. Neutrality is not optional. Accountability is not optional. And right now, the public deserves answers—not silence, not side conversations, and not decisions made in whispers.
Highlights from the April 21 work session and afternoon council meeting