Don’t we want to increase our housing supply, not decrease it?

Don’t we want to increase our housing supply, not decrease it?

by | Nov 23, 2025 |

Every day of the year, tourists visit Oakwood to see our old houses that we work so hard to take care of. There are guided tours several times a week, and even tours by horse and carriage. We work very hard to be an amenity for the whole city. If you want a vibrant city, we are vibrant! This is only possible because we are a neighborhood, with people living in these old houses. Yet the Planning Department has been gradually rezoning our homes into office and commercial use. It’s no longer vibrant; it’s dead most of the time.

Raleigh’s Christmas Parade – Let the Children Participate!

Raleigh’s Christmas Parade – Let the Children Participate!

by | Nov 17, 2025 |

I plead for your assistance in preserving one of Raleigh’s greatest cultural events—the Raleigh Christmas Parade. Christmas and Christmas Parades are for CHILDREN. I sat next to Hailey Brooks’ father in 2022 as he pleaded that you not eliminate the parade following his daughter’s tragic death. I am here to ask you to reconsider the banning of participation by the under-8 set unless they are on a vehicle. By doing so, you have effectively closed the opportunity to many children who don’t have a ride.
LET THE CHILDREN participate.

Council showed a complete lack of interest for residents’ concerns

Council showed a complete lack of interest for residents’ concerns

by | Nov 16, 2025 |

It was hard to process the complete lack of interest or support by this City Council for the concerns repeatedly raised by residents. Countless emails, phone calls, meetings, and petitions were met with silence. Council was misled—partly by a Planning Department analysis that failed to identify any policy inconsistencies, and partly by Council member Silver’s one-sided defense that dismissed legitimate concerns raised by residents.

Glenwood South neighborhoods are simply not safe

Glenwood South neighborhoods are simply not safe

by | Nov 12, 2025 |

Glenwood South and surrounding neighborhoods are simply not safe. We unfortunately have to live with what former city leaders created and you have allowed to fester. The sad, shameful truth of it all and everyone knows it is that if any of you lived in the area and had to live with this ‘vibrancy’ it would have ended years ago.

All residents’ voices MUST be heard.

All residents’ voices MUST be heard.

by | Oct 21, 2025 |

The current proposal to eliminate boards — or to merge multiple community-focused efforts into a single entity — is deeply disappointing. As a volunteer commission, the HRC is not structured to provide adequate attention and voice to the wide range of community issues.

Aggies DO! If you don’t, Get Out The Way!

Aggies DO! If you don’t, Get Out The Way!

by | Oct 15, 2025 |

Byron Laws spoke to the Raleigh City Council on the topic of the City Council approved African American Affairs Board that has never been seated. Byron is an Aggie and says Aggies DO! If you don’t, GET OUT THE WAY!

Been There, Done That!

Been There, Done That!

by | Oct 6, 2025 |

The city has grown enormously in the past few years, as people from all over began to recognize it’s a great place to live. But this growth was accompanied by absolutely no planning – or bad planning – which means we are now living in a helter-skelter atmosphere akin to a Third World city in which anything goes. Along with this has come a lapdog attitude when it comes to the city council’s relationship with developers. Sound familiar? This commentary was written 5 years ago in 2019.

Z-12-25 West St Tower – Video – Bring Down the Height

Z-12-25 West St Tower – Video – Bring Down the Height

by | Oct 4, 2025 |

The public hearing for this case will be held Tuesday, October 7 at 7pm. This public hearing will allow ONLY 8 minutes in TOTAL for those in opposition to present their case to City Council. Watch this video outlining the full fact and policy based opposition to Z-12-25. The 240’/360′ towers, in a transition area, 776′ along Historic Glenwood-Brooklyn Neighborhood only 190′ to 240′ feet from homes violates all plans, polices, urban planning guidelines and logic.