As part of our preparation for the upcoming City Council elections, we have been having conversations with City Council Candidates. One of the biggest issues facing Raleigh right now is the public’s desire to have reforms made to Raleigh’s Missing Middle policies that were implemented in 2021 and 2022. We have listed several previously published blogs related to Missing Middle for your review that explain our position about the Missing Middle policies.
We must all be aware of possible changes coming to our neighborhoods in time to weigh in. But since the developer is only required to notify the immediate neighbors, not the neighborhood, those living right next to a piece of land may be the only residents even aware (if they are) of a project being planned. Thus, any objections are likely to come only from those who know about and are affected by the project. How is anyone else supposed to find out about it? Those who DO know must spread the word so neighborhoods can more effectively object, if necessary.
Raleigh’s missing middle rules promote profitability, but they fail at every other community goal: affordability, neighborhood compatibility, walkability, accessibility and equity. By excluding community goals, Raleigh’s missing middle rules have created a situation where the missing middle infill being built is very big, very unaffordable, incompatible with its surroundings and more often than not, demolishes rather than increases Raleigh’s supply of affordable dwellings.
One of the solutions to the problem proposed by the authors is to support policies to reduce the displacement of longtime residents, which would include affordable housing. Instead, along the New Bern Avenue BRT, our developer-friendly city planners have increased the height threshold for affordable units from three stories to five, which guarantees that no affordable units will be built because of the increase in cost of construction materials when height exceeds the five stories allowed under stick building.
Listening sessions with no action eventually lead to lack of resident belief that resident needs are indeed being heeded which results in demoralization of residents, or perhaps that is the intent.
In the recent N&O article “Missing Middle, median income and more: The housing jargon you need to know” a mistake was made in the description of missing middle housing. The article conflated housing types with housing prices.
Highlights from October 10 Work Session and Public Comments Meeting
City Council should provide every neighborhood protection from the unintended consequences of Missing Middle through adopting the reforms which have been proposed by Livable Raleigh and the ad hoc task force, both of which have made sound recommendations for revision. I encourage you to direct City Planning to study these recommendations and for you to take action.
Highlights from the October 3, 2023 City Council Afternoon and Evening Meetings
Every day I see good, affordable, multi-unit housing being torn down and replaced with McMansions or “luxury” apartments. This is going on ALL OVER THE CITY and was put on steroids by the Missing Middle policy changes.