True leadership is demonstrated in how you engage with others, how you advocate for the voiceless, and how you stand up for what is right, regardless of whether or not you hold a formal title. As citizens, we deserve leaders who have built these qualities before ever stepping into public office. Leadership is not granted by a vote, it is earned by a lifetime of service.
When you go to the polls to vote this year, you may notice something missing from your ballot. You were supposed to be able to vote on whether Raleigh City Council terms should be changed from two-year to four-year terms. But, Council Members Melton and Forte took that choice away from you.
To date, Councilors Melton, Branch and Forte have offered no public apology or explanation for their secret decision to give themselves an extra year in office without any public notice, public comment, or public vote.
Vote for Livable Raleigh as Best Local Activist Group in the Triangle
Council is being asked to legalize an illegal parking lot at 2601 Vanderbilt Ave near NC State. The applicant says the parking lot rezoning (Z-33-24) is a minor change, but in the big picture of West Raleigh’s sustainable growth, putting parking lots before people is a giant step backwards that will only legitimize more parking lots to come.
How is it that the pre-determined outcome of the re-location of the Red Hat Amphitheater took the City Council by surprise and left them with little to no time for public engagement or a deeper discussion of alternatives for where or how the venue could be kept downtown without closing South St? When you realize councilors Melton and Branch are both liaisons to the Convention Center and it was their JOB to know what was going on. Are they liaisons or just lazy?
A large majority of what the City Councilors are responsible for are decisions related to development. These are the candidates that the development industry is supporting. It’s up to you to decide how you want to factor this information into your voting decision.
Raleigh’s historic overlay districts are special treasures of our City. They comprise only one percent of Raleigh’s land area, but their impact is much larger. We do not need to destroy them to solve our housing shortage. We should instead preserve these treasures for our citizens, our visitors, our children, and our grandchildren.
Highlights from October 14 Work Session and Afternoon Session
There’s an unmistakable longing among teens and young adults today. It’s not just a want—it’s a need. People are craving a place where they can just be—somewhere that isn’t home, school, or work. A space to meet friends, make connections, and feel part of something. But those places, those third spaces, are becoming harder to find.
This chart shows you the contributions made to the candidates for this election cycle through June 30, 2024. There will be MUCH MORE money poured into these campaigns before election day. But, you will have to wait to see that data. We are currently analyzing it from the most recent reports that were filed by the candidates on Oct 1, 2024.
Fairchance affords impoverished candidates a pathway to their dreams and a roadmap on how to get there, from a mission to setting goals, and a budget. Candidates become “empowered” as they witness miracles transpire before their eyes, including the discovery of themselves and their abilities.
Highlights from October 8 2024 Work Session and Public Comment session
The previous Raleigh City Council spent zero amount of time discussing the unintended consequences of their major change to zoning practices which they characterized as mere “text changes.” Now the current council is MIA by failing to address these serious consequences for which several neighborhoods have presented evidence.
Highlights from the October 1 City Council meeting.
Possible Missing Middle “tweaks” being discussed by Council include tree preservation and consideration of character impact of high-density housing on existing neighborhoods. These minor tweaks would amount to putting lipstick on a pig. Council was able to make controversial decisions on moving Red Hat Amphitheater and closing a traffic artery into downtown within about two months. You’ve had two years to massage and wrestle with Missing Middle, and nothing has been accomplished.
If this lawsuit succeeds, then any subdivision with or without a homeowner’s association will be at risk. The only winners will be those charging legal fees, and the losers will be homeowners who purchased their single-family homes with certain expectations related to the future of their property.
As Raleigh continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, the stakes have never been higher for our city’s future. We’re witnessing a city transforming before our eyes—new developments, some booming businesses, and an influx of new residents. But with this rapid growth comes a critical challenge that we cannot afford to ignore: the need for a more expansive and accessible City Council that truly represents all of Raleigh’s diverse communities.
Usually I’m up here complaining about things the city does, but I want to be clear that I think last year’s budget engagement was an overall positive experience, but I still think it could be better.
Raleigh builder is suing a whole neighborhood to have their restrictive covenants removed to enable him to build a development of 12 townhomes on two lots that are/were two single-family homes. District C Councilor Corey Branch, who represents the neighborhood, promised to do everything in his power to fix this. Branch has done nothing.