Our housing crisis is not going to be solved by the wonton demolition of naturally existing affordable housing to turn it over to luxury housing. Our public transportation goals are not going to be supported by creation of more luxury housing with large off-street parking pads and two or three car garages occupying the first floor.
As we approach a new $100 million housing bond referendum, accountability matters. Residents should be able to see – in one place – which projects received funding, how much was invested, how many units were created or preserved and the affordability levels achieved. After the last housing bond, the city promised transparency. Instead, residents are left with two sparse webpages—one largely explaining what a housing bond is. There is still no simple, public accounting of where the money went or what outcomes it produced. Can you understand why residents are skeptical?
Growth should not become a blank check for developers or a tax burden for existing residents. We must respect neighborhood voices. Public input should not be treated as an obstacle. It should be part of better planning.
Our neighborhood is a microcosm of Raleigh’s traditional neighborhood values married with new development. It is regarding one such development, Trophy Brewing, that we seek your assistance in addressing issues created by the removal of minimum parking requirements.
Some might say we want density on the bus line. But that is a joke!! Nobody who is paying half a million dollars for a condo will ever set foot on the bus! They will get in their car, which is parked in the parking garage in the building! I’ll bet even the people in the two tiny units making 60K a year won’t ride the bus. The City is using the excuse of a bus line to allow developers to knock down our neighborhoods.
Highlights of June 16 work session and afternoon session