Christina Jones
Name: Christina Jones
Which office are you seeking? City Council District E
Campaign website: christinaforraleigh.com
The income of many households in Raleigh is too high to qualify for income-restricted/subsidized housing, yet these residents are cost-burdened by climbing prices and rents across market-rate housing. Explain at least 2 policies you will seek to implement to address the rising costs of market-rate housing in Raleigh.
I wish I had a good answer to this question. We are prevented from doing much because the State makes inclusionary zoning illegal. That means that council cannot require developments to include affordability into their projects. The city is doing a lot of work in partnership with organizations like DHIC, Habitat for Humanity, CASA, and the Raleigh Housing Authority to bring more units online, but our Affordable Housing Bond is coming to an end and we have to look for more funding opportunities. District E has been blessed to work with some great developers who have decided to be part of the solution and voluntarily include mixed income units in their projects and I hope to continue that into a second term. Our Housing and Neighborhood department Director has brought the Direct Voucher program to us in this year's budget so that we can work on giving money directly to those residents who need assistance instead of working with the landlord. This will help people get into a unit without having to go through the voucher process. I look forward to seeing the results of that effort as well.
What is an issue in Raleigh that deserves critical attention, but isn't talked about much in the media or the community because it's not sensational or obviously apparent?
Substance Use. The use of Narcan is very widespread and we are not addressing the crisis in a way that decreases what Police and Fire see on a daily basis.
How will you balance the interests of individuals with those of the general public? Especially when voting on an issue that will negatively impact a small, but vocal group of residents, but which offers significant benefits to the general public?
I believe that all voices should be heard. It is the job of council to explain issues for the community to understand what to raise at the council table. I have always advocated that residents reach out to all council members because decisions are not made by one councilor, since it takes 5 votes to pass anything.
Should Council allow more Missing Middle housing (duplex, triplex, townhomes and small apartment buildings) to be built in the City? If yes, how would you accomplish this? If not, why not?
As I have stated from the council table, I need to understand what metrics we are following and how we plan to address any issues that arise. We are seeing storm water concerns with infill development in places like Five Points that need to be discussed. Since property owners are responsible for storm water pipe maintenance on their land, they are asking how the increased volume of runoff, on small and insufficient pipes, is their responsibility.
Missing Middle has resulted in the creation of 10% affordable units being added to the market, but that only accounts for two projects, one of which was almost 200 units. If we don't bring a large scale affordable housing project consistently, how can we ensure that people who need housing on all income levels will be able to access it?
Should the City continue investing in Bus Rapid Transit? If so, what additional investments and/or land use regulatory changes should the City make to support the successful implementation of the Western and Southern corridors? If no, why?
Yes, we need to invest in BRT. For the New Bern Corridor, we are still working through policies that incentivize growth and the addition of affordable units, while trying to protect residents from being priced out of their own neighborhood. I will be looking for the same opportunities with the Western and Southern Corridor as we are presented with information. I will also highlight the fact that District E is not planned to ever benefit from BRT and we are the connection between Downtown Raleigh and Downtown Durham. The fact that the entire city is not benefitting from a major project like BRT has been concerning for me as I have learned about the different corridors.
What is your vision for how Raleigh’s built environment should evolve over the next 10 years?
I would like to see our single story shopping centers be an area of focus for redevelopment. Many of these centers are already on bus lines with opportunity for density. We are running out of land to develop in the city and by transitioning over to redevelopment, we can work on having a better environmental impact by not cutting down the trees we have left. At the beginning of my term, I had the privilege of working with a development team in Brier Creek to bring a 15 story mixed use building as they redevelop the shopping center on Skyland Ridge. Allowing for more walkability and increased density will help us plan for the future of that area.
How would you change the way the City's Office of Community Engagement operates?
I believe our Community Engagement Office is doing a great job connecting residents to many city departments. They were crucial in setting up opportunities for engagement around the Alternative Response Unit, as well as other topics. The office was created just a few years ago and we are constantly evolving in what we want that to look like.
Should the City preserve existing moderately priced housing (Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing) to help slow the rate of resident displacement? If yes, please provide 2-3 specific policies that you would ask your fellow Councilors to support. If no, what other policies do you support to address resident displacement?
The city should work to protect NOAH units to help slow the rate of displacement. As we have seen a few cases come through the rezoning process during the last two years, the importance of protecting those resident's right to return is imperative. I would like to explore how to make that more impactful. Another opportunity would be to map out where NOAH units currently exist and the city could work to purchasing those parcels so that the market does not control the outcome of those units.