RaleighForward Roundup

Sunday, November 19th

Hello,

City Council meets on Tuesday and we have a recap of our great speaking program with Mitchell Silver from earlier this week. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend, and especially to Mitchell for lending his time and expertise, and for engaging with the thoughtful questions of our guests.

As always, please reach out with any comments or suggestions, and consider making a donation to support our continued efforts to inform policymakers and the public.

Eric Braun, Founder

Sun, Nov 19

Hindsight, Insight and Foresight: Planning for Growth and Change

Mitchell Silver, former Raleigh Planning and Development Director and Commissioner of the New York City Parks Department presented “Hindsight Insight and Foresight: Planning for Growth and Change.”

Since the vast majority of affordable housing is now created using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, this article is worth reading. It does an excellent job explaining the program. “LIHTC: The Good, The Bad, and The Very Complicated”
The Assembly took a close look at Charlotte’s effort to address the harms arising from its use of exclusionary zoning techniques. Charlotte City Council voted to expand the kinds of residential structures and density allowed under its exclusionary single-family zoning districts. The article covers a wide range of issues associated with this regulatory reform effort. “Can Charlotte Re-sort Itself?”
Continuing with the exclusionary zoning theme, this is a fascinating article about a small, wealthy liberal Boston town and its use of the “exclusionary playbook.”
“Americans are Walking 36% less since COVID,” according to Bloomberg.
Here’s another example of a city trying to encourage more Missing Middle Housing. Like Raleigh and Charlotte, other cities recognize the need to build more Missing Middle Housing to unwind the impact of exclusionary zoning. This time it’s Salt Lake City.
Here is an interesting report from Brookings: “Where 20 Years of Housing was Built in Washington, DC and Where it Wasn’t.
New Heat Map Charts Unequal Opportunity for Civic Engagement Across the US. Take a look at it here.
Tom Barkin, the President of the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank, stated at a recent conference that NIMBYism is a continuing barrier to improving housing affordability. As one example, he cited teachers as one group of people that simply cannot afford housing. It’s time we focus on who needs housing, rather than the where and what of housing. Read here.
Here is a study that adds to a growing body of research suggesting that high cost of living is a primary factor causing homelessness (not substance abuse). More info here.
This article looks at a program in Santa Barbara that repurposes commercial space for workforce housing. Read about it here.
The housing market is so tight that employers are renting homes for workers, according to the Washington Post.
Given the various articles mentioned above that relate to Missing Middle housing, here’s something from the Raleigh YIMBY listserv worth considering:
“Over the past 5 years, the City of Raleigh issued an average of 1,257 residential building permits per year. This is for single family homes, townhomes, and condos. Per city staff, since the enactment of the Missing Middle text change in July 2021, the City has approved 1,400 units as a result of the text change. In other words, this text change has resulted in more than an additional year of new housing in just over 2 years, all at no cost. Since the passage of the ADU text change in July 2020, over 300 ADUs have been approved.”

Upcoming meetings to keep track of:

The City is once again seeking resident input on whether or not the City should move from electing a new City Council every 2 years to elections with staggered 4-year terms. While the City is conducting a survey using random scientific sampling, it is also making the survey available to the public in general. On September 7, 2021, a Council-appointed study committee recommended unanimously that Council should move to 4-year staggered terms to allow a more deliberative approach to decision making. You can review the Study Recommendations here. To ensure as much diversity in survey responses, please take the survey here.
The City recently completed a study titled: “Raleigh’s Black Heritage and Historic Places Study: 1945-1975.” Staff and the study’s consultant will present findings and talk about next steps in the program during an event on November 30. For more details, click here.
Raleigh is developing its 2024-2025 Affordable Housing and Community Development Needs Assessment. There is one more community engagement session planned for November 20 and an online survey where residents can provide input. For more information about meeting dates and to take the survey, click here.
The City recently announced a BRT engagement program called “Five Weeks to Connect.” The program has a range of programming, information engagement opportunities during a 5-week period starting in late November. Click here for details.
City Council held a work session on November 14 where staff updated Councilors on the City’s effort to address equitable development around transit. The session focused on the New Bern Avenue BRT route and did an excellent job reviewing the many programs and tools the City is using to ensure that equity, gentrification and displacement are addressed as BRT is implemented along New Bern Avenue. While there are groups in the community promoting the idea that the City is not doing anything to ensure equitable development around transit, the reality is quite different. Click here for the complete presentation.
City Council Meets on Tuesday, November 21, 2023. Here are some of the items that caught our attention:
- Staff will present Council with options for addressing the substantial differential between the original estimate and the current estimate to implement the Six Forks Road Improvement Plan. Staff will request direction from Council as to which option the City should pursue. Click here for more details.
- City Council will consider approving additional gap financing for to preserve 292 existing affordable housing units across 5 communities owned by DHIC. The total funding request is $3,504,000. Click here for more details.
- Z-20-53 involves approximately 1.12 acres located at 501 Hillsborough Street. The request is to rezone the property from Downtown Mixed Use-12-Shopfront (DX-12-SH) to Downtown Mixed Use-40-Shopfront, Conditional Use (DX-40-SH-CU). Of note, the request includes a condition requiring a payment of $180,000 into the City’s affordable housing fund for any site plan approved with less than 301 residential units. If a site plan is approved for more than 300 residential units, the developer will pay $180,000 plus and additional $40,000 per residential unit for each unit exceeding 300. Planning Commission voted to recommend approval 7-0. Click here for more details.

Hindsight, Insight and Foresight: Planning for Growth and Change

Articles we found interesting this week:

Upcoming meetings to keep track of:

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