Jonathan Lambert-Melton
Name: Jonathan Lambert-Melton
Which office are you seeking? At-Large District
Campaign website: jonathanmelton.com
Social media: @melton4raleigh (Instagram, Facebook, X)
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 continue to support our zoning reform efforts, including missing middle housing types which are more affordable and attainable at different price points. Two additional policies that we're working on and that I would like to see implemented are: 1) incentives for affordable ADU rental; we can provide funding assistance for folks to construct ADUs and make them available for rent; this program has worked in some municipalities, and 2) legalizing single room occupancy (SROs) in more residential zoning districts.
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?
I feel like most issues that deserve critical attention do get covered, however I feel like sometimes only a part of the story is highlighted. For example, there's been a great deal of coverage about a lawsuit concerning missing middle housing but very little coverage about the successes of zoning reform in Raleigh, the increase in housing supply and decrease in costs (rents are dropping). Another issue regarding transit, our bus rapid transit (BRT) has received a lot of attention, but the bike/ped improvements being constructed with BRT are often overlooked.
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 try to think about the big picture, and I've never voted for/against something because I was worried about getting re-elected. When you start thinking about elections with every vote, that's when it's time to pack it up and go home.
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?
Yes, I feel like we've already done this though through zoning reform efforts. We need to continue to support these zoning reforms and not attempt to go backwards just because sometimes change is scary.
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've already applied and mapped the transit overlay district (TOD) to the Western and Southern routes. The TOD prohibits car-focused development, allows denser, mixed use developments, and provides a density bonus for affordable housing.
What is your vision for how Raleigh’s built environment should evolve over the next 10 years?
In our urban cores and along transit corridors, dense, mixed use infill housing with retail. In our more suburban areas, a better-connected street grid, more bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and more neighborhood-scale retail. That is how you build a sustainable, green and affordable city. The alternative development pattern is sprawl, which causes taxes to go up, trees to come down, and folks are pushed farther from what they need resulting in continued auto-dependency and increased greenhouse gas emissions.
How would you change the way the City's Office of Community Engagement operates?
They need more staff. The office is continuing to growth and change as it develops over time. They can do more with more resources.
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?
Yes, however, it's not a silver bullet. Just like not everyone will qualify for a subsidized housing unit, the city can't buy all of the naturally occurring affordable housing and preserve it. We can leverage city and county funds to focus on areas of high need (we're already doing this, focused on naturally occurring multi-family rental properties), equip homeowners with more resources to stay in their homes (owner-occupied rehabilitation assistance grants), continue to lobby the legislature for expanded property tax relief programs, and make it easier to build denser, infill housing to alleviate some development pressure on existing neighborhoods and to discourage teardowns.
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you or your campaign? (Optional)
Raleigh is going to continue to grow at a rapid pace. That’s a fact. My promise is to ensure that our city remains a great place to live and work for everyone – those who have lived here for generations and those who have only recently started calling Raleigh home.