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Disinformation in Local Elections
On Tuesday, October 20, Raleigh's News and Observer is hosting a webinar, "Disinformation in Local Elections: How to spot it and what you can do" I decided to write to the N&O on the eve of their webinar because I have three examples of the role disinformation has...
Whether the housing bond passes or fails, Raleigh needs a citizens’ Affordable Housing Task Force
More than 16,000 Raleigh households with very low incomes pay rents equal to more than half of their earnings. How did we NOT know that? A citizens’ Task Force would shine a light on the crisis and offer real solutions..
On Raleigh’s Housing Bond: The Wake Co. Housing Justice Coalition Recommends a NO vote
The Coalition: “[It] is a failure of leadership, and a slap in the face of Raleigh’s stated efforts to achieve equity in our programs, to expand help for those who have more while short-changing those who have less.”
Council Justifies Destroying Azalea Falls with a Tangled Web of Deceptions, Distortions and Glaring Omissions
October 6, 2020 will go down in Raleigh history as one of the worst days for environmental conservation, as the Raleigh City Council voted 7 to 1 (Cox dissenting) to destroy Azalea Falls, one of only a handful of state designated Natural Heritage Areas in our entire city.
![[UPDATE: Council’s 7-1 vote snuffs buffers] More zoning buffers could be voted away: more folks living in the shadows.](https://livableraleigh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/50-Feet-e1647793454618.jpg)
[UPDATE: Council’s 7-1 vote snuffs buffers] More zoning buffers could be voted away: more folks living in the shadows.
Council’s vote will hasten the trends of gentrification and teardowns in older Raleigh neighborhoods, especially our historically African-American neighborhoods. It’s a money grab, pure and simple.
City Council votes 7 to 1 to destroy Azalea Falls.
At the October 6 Raleigh City Council afternoon meeting, David Knight led a spurious, yet successful effort to destroy Azalea Falls, one of Raleigh’s designated National Historic sites. As usual, the development-driven Council majority voted 7 to 1 (David Cox being the lone dissenter) to perpetrate another environmental disaster in our community.
More zoning buffers could be voted away: more folks living in the shadows.
The Raleigh City Council will be voting on TC-6-20 this coming Tuesday, October 6th. This is a text change to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). While there are many scenarios that can result from this text change, the one scenario that nobody will like are the...
Save Raleigh’s Azalea Falls
(This is the full version of the abbreviated op-ed published in the News and Observer on October 2, 2020) Azalea Falls is a hidden Raleigh gem that has recently been designated by the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources as being an ecological habitat of...
Council threatens ‘Darth Vader Scenario’ in developer’s bid to destroy Azalea Falls, an ecological habitat of statewide significance.
The steeply wooded hillsides above Azalea Falls are, as detailed in the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources designation of statewide ecological significance, INTEGRAL to Azalea Falls’ unique forest ecology and aquatic habitats. No wooded hillsides, no Azalea Falls.
Carmen Cauthen’s “History of Housing in Raleigh” is context for tomorrow night’s “Affordable Housing Bond: The Great Debate”
After 1916, Oberlin Village was a textbook case of white gentrification of a formerly black community. Dial ahead 100 years: The gentrification of formerly all-black Southeast Raleigh is history repeating itself.
Council Targets a Few of Raleigh’s Greatest Affordable Housing Needs
After months of encouragement, City Council finally offered a small commitment toward meeting the most pressing needs of Raleigh’s growing affordable housing crisis. Livable Raleigh continues to encourage the Raleigh City Council to commit at least 50% of annual housing funds to the critical documented needs for households at or below 30% AMI.
Community engagement: where are we after 3 months?
On Tuesday, September 15th I spoke with the City Council about Mr. Mickey Fearn’s community engagement presentation from September 8th. I watched Mickey's presentation to City Council that day, and then watched it again several more times during the following week....
Council Plans an Environmental Disaster to Benefit a Construction Conglomerate
Despite overwhelming evidence that this upzoning should not go forward, this Council seems determined to approve the destruction of our most precious environmental assets for the insignificant benefit of one of the largest construction conglomerates in North America.
Courtney Napier Challenges Raleigh’s Affordable Housing Bond
In the current issue of INDYWeek, Courtney Napier challenges the Raleigh City Council to center their Affordable Housing Bond on our city’s most pressing housing needs rather than on development profits.
City Council “Acts” to Fix the Affordable Housing Bond. Their Action Was Little and Very Late.
“My quick analysis is that the recommendations are better than nothing, but they fall far short of what’s needed to help those in the greatest need. … Raleigh, we STILL have a problem.”
City Attorney clarifies that developers may meet with CACs
City Attorney clarifies that developers may meet with CACs
Feedback From an Attendee of our Affordable Housing Bond Webinar
I attended Livable Raleigh’s recent webinar on Raleigh’s 2020 Affordable Housing Bond to educate myself on our city’s affordable housing needs and the upcoming $80 million bond package that will be on the November 3rd ballot. Admittedly, housing is not my area of...
Dear Mayor and Council: Your Time Is Running Out to Fix the 2020 Affordable Housing Bond Proposal
Unless you act, voters will be forced to guess what the bond is for, because you will have failed to tell them. Specifically, how will the $80 million help Raleigh residents with the greatest need for safe, affordable housing?
Mayor Pro Tem Branch: The Time Is Now to Lead on Inclusionary Zoning for Affordable Housing
Now is an opportune time for Mayor Pro Tem Branch to spearhead an effort which results in Raleigh’s City Council presenting a unified front, advocating at the proper levels of North Carolina state government, for changes in state law in order to allow inclusionary zoning.
Will Raleigh Join its Progressive Sisters, Asheville and Durham, and Take Action on Reparations?
Asheville and Durham leaders take decisive action to confront and eliminate the damage of systemic race bias while Raleigh leaders have yet to offer more than token gestures. On July 14, 2020, the Asheville City Council marked an historic moment by holding a unanimous...