3 Years Ago a Sneak Attack on Raleigh’s Community Engagement System took place: Residents Lost, Developers Won.

3 Years Ago a Sneak Attack on Raleigh’s Community Engagement System took place: Residents Lost, Developers Won.

by | Feb 3, 2023 |

Three years ago on February 4, 2020 Mayor Baldwin and her City Council majority voted to stop supporting Raleigh’s Citizen Advisory Councils (CACs). Three years later that void still exists. There are no new community organizations run by Raleigh residents with City support. Fortunately for Raleigh residents there are quite a few Citizen Advisory Councils that survived the sneak attack on February 4, 2020. Even without City funding and support, these survivors have continued on with their mission of two-way communication between Raleigh residents and their City government.

The Density and Growth Dilemma

The Density and Growth Dilemma

by | Jan 18, 2023 |

The false dichotomy that one must be either pro-growth or anti-growth serves no one. A sensible and balanced approach to development would promote growth that is equitable, environmentally sustainable, supported by adequate infrastructure, and compatible with existing development.

Proposals to address Raleigh’s housing crisis

Proposals to address Raleigh’s housing crisis

by | Dec 14, 2022 |

I urge you, as Raleigh’s new city council, to aggressively address Raleigh’s housing crisis. I highly recommend that this City Council genuinely put Raleigh’s residents’ interests above those of the developers.

Can Free Bus Fares Fix Raleigh’s Broken System?

Can Free Bus Fares Fix Raleigh’s Broken System?

by | Nov 28, 2022 |

Council’s upcoming decision to either keep or eliminate Raleigh’s COVID-era free bus fares has been framed as making an important statement about Raleigh’s commitment to high quality and equitable bus service. Maybe so, but if you listen to the Raleigh Transit Authority’s Nov 10 deliberations on the topic, you might conclude that reinstating fees will have little impact on a system that is in decline and without an effective plan to provide high quality and equitable transit services in post-COVID Raleigh.

October 4 City Council Meetings

October 4 City Council Meetings

by | Oct 5, 2022 |

HIGHLIGHTS o Southeast Special Area Study referred to Planning Commission. This would potentially involve adding an area larger than the size of the Town of Chapel Hill to Raleigh. Discussion about whether or not Raleigh has the water to accommodate this growth,...

It’s our city and we can take it back!

It’s our city and we can take it back!

by | Sep 14, 2022 |

The issue is not growth or no growth. It is out of control development and infrastructure as an after the fact band aid to a poorly designed, oversized project.

What Raleigh needs right now is well planned, well executed development that includes actual affordable housing at every turn and incorporates transportation and environmental infrastructure up front.

Raleigh’s Affordable Housing Open House:  Effective or Merely Performative?

Raleigh’s Affordable Housing Open House:  Effective or Merely Performative?

by | Sep 7, 2022 |

Many attendees (including single mothers) were disappointed in the event because they had high expectations for housing solutions that they need NOW.  So, this appears to have been no more than a manipulative ploy to generate attendance numbers for positive press in advance of the election, without producing any real results.