Upcoming Raleigh Events
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
City Council Evening Session – CANCELLED
City Council Evening Session – CANCELLED
City Council Pre-Budget Work Session
City Council Pre-Budget Work Session
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting: 3901 Stratford Ct.
Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting: 3901 Stratford Ct.
Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting: 319 Heck Street (Z-39-25)
Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting: 319 Heck Street (Z-39-25)
Second Community meeting to reactivate the South CAC
Second Community meeting to reactivate the South CAC
Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting: 5621 & 5615 Kyle Drive
Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting: 5621 & 5615 Kyle Drive
Read up on our latest news…
Wanda Gilbert-Coker: We Are Sick and Tired of City Council’s White Privilege
The network of CACs benefited the Black community. It was an opportunity for Black people to voice their concerns on City issues. Also, it empowered the Black community to organize against gentrification. This is why it was dismantled.
Why did they kill our Citizen Advisory Councils? (the secret video!)
This just-unearthed video, produced by the city BEFORE Baldwin took office, shows the CACs for what they were really were. Take a look and if you like, share it before the secret is buried again!
Raleigh, we have a problem: Our “Affordable Housing MoonShot” is way off course
Raleigh’s affordable housing bond survey lacks important sampling methods and validation techniques required to produce an unbiased picture of public sentiment. Intentionally or not, the survey ignores low-wealth residents and confuses the public’s true feelings about the affordable housing bond.
Nicole Stewart, your Hypocrisy is Showing
Councilor Nicole Stewart expressed frustration during the May 5 council meeting that Councilor David Cox hadn’t provided advance notice to her that he would raise the issue of the RDU quarry, though of course he didn’t bring it up; three citizens did.
City Council finds new and novel ways to do nothing about the RDU Airport Quarry
The issue of the RDU Quarry came once again to the Raleigh City Council. And once again, the Council took no action, in the process missing the deadline for supporting a public hearing on the mining permit.
Affordable Housing Bond Process Lacks Civic Engagement
At the May 5 City Council meeting, Raleigh resident Wanda Hunter asked Council to replace the flawed affordable housing bond process with one that is inclusive and equitable, and that authentically engages all of our community.
Mayor Baldwin shows disdain for the public yet again
Did Mary-Ann Baldwin’s disdain for public participation in rezoning cases cause her to violate a new state law this week?
The new law puts rules in place for public hearings when they’re part of a remote, or “virtual” meeting.
Council to hear from developers, not the public, on rezonings (updated 5/14)
Raleigh’s new Council summarily abolished Raleigh’s 18 Citizens Advisory Councils (CACs) without any notice or public comment. Three months later, the CACs’ community-run zoning review process has been replaced with a quickie substitute controlled by the rezoning applicant — i.e., the developer.
Raleigh: A city government without citizens
Having all but eliminated citizen input, and perhaps because half of its members are brand-new, the Council looks to be frozen on stage, with no wisdom to offer. And then they adjourn, congratulating one another on the great job they’re doing!
Raleigh’s Affordable Housing Bond: Pandemic Casualty or Bold Opportunity?
Moonshots are easier when Raleigh’s economy is humming and surpluses can be diverted to social benefits. The true test of the new Council’s commitment to bold, revolutionary and transformative change is at hand now, at this time of recessionary crisis and opportunity.
Show me the money!
Do you have any idea how much money was spent to win the seats on Raleigh's City Council? Do you have any idea where all that money came from? Do you know who is expecting a return on their investments? The data is all available in the campaign finance reports...
N&O Reporter notes Citizen Engagement is worse under New Council Process
On Feb 4, 2020, Raleigh's City Council disbanded the city's Citizen Advisory Councils (CACs) that had been in place for nearly 50 years. CACs provided an opportunity to engage the public and allow a two-way information flow between the public and the city government....
What’s Happening to Citizen Engagement?
For all the talk about how this Mayor and new City Council are going to develop a fantastic, new community engagement initiative, you’d never know they give a hoot about this subject given how they have restricted our ability as citizens to participate on the matters...
Delay April & May Council meetings
Dear Mayor Baldwin and City Council Members, We are not living in “business as usual” times. On the City website, a notice has been posted to hold a “virtual” City Council meeting on April 7th where there will be “public comment” allowed so we can continue to...
Letter to Raleigh’s City Manager
Dear City Manager Hall: I am writing on behalf of many Raleigh residents. First of all we want to thank you for your leadership during this time of unprecedented crisis. We appreciate the very big challenges you and other City staff are facing as you endeavor to run...
Sports Stadia and Affordable Housing
Sports Stadia and Affordable Housing... ... both share the feature of a taxpayer subsidy. Subsidies from public revenues are needed when a project is not feasible in a 'free market,' i.e. it will not generate income exceeding its costs --- otherwise private capital...
If Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin tells you she wants to “brand” the city, WATCH OUT…. It’s gonna cost you…
In 2017 the city commissioned a new logo. It cost $226,000 City leaders say Raleigh's new $226,000 logo was worth it https://abc11.com/2624736/ "The project, accomplishing part of the City's strategic plan to find a way to effectively tell Raleigh's story, comes with...
The Carolinian on CACs
Excerpt from The Carolinian Newspaper, March 19, 2020 edition. Editorial by Danny K. Manning
“Yes” to helping the suddenly jobless, and “No” to any public money for a soccer stadium
Two competing ideas, one good, one bad, are out there for spending money from the taxes on restaurant meals and hotel rooms in Raleigh and Wake County. The bad idea, pushed hard by Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin this week at a truncated City Council meeting, is to spend it on...
Business as Usual?
It’s clear that the COVID-19 pandemic is a serious threat to our health, safety, and way of life. Please adhere to the guidelines from local, state, and national governments. And please do what you can to help others. We will not recover quickly or easily from the...