RaleighForward Roundup

Sunday, June 18th

Hello,

This week we have information on upcoming meetings that are worth keeping tabs on. We also have a new blog post analyzing the results of the 2022 Community Survey. More on that below.

RaleighForward is hosting its first in-person events this summer! Details below:

The first is scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, July 26, called Transportation, Traffic Impact Analysis and Safety: Keeping it all in Perspective featuring Eric Lamb. The event will begin at 7:30pm located at Trophy Brewing & Taproom on Maywood.
The second program features Ben Stevens, author of Birth of a Building. This program is scheduled for Saturday, August 19, starting at noon at John Chavis Community Center.

Please mark your calendars and be on the lookout for more details.

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, Jun 18

Thoughts and Observations on the 2022 Raleigh Community Survey Results

Starting in 2016, Raleigh began using scientific polling to gather resident input across a broad range of topics.

This research by the Urban Institute provides more evidence that recent and pending zoning changes like the Transit Overlay Districts and Missing Middle reforms can help address the housing crisis. America Has a Housing Shortage. Zoning Changes Near Transit Could Help. Here is a companion piece examining how zoning changes can help address housing scarcity in the Puget Sound area.
The lack of accessibility is an often-overlooked barrier to affordable housing for persons with disabilities who struggle with housing insecurity at higher rates than many other groups. This article discusses why incorporating universal design concepts in housing is important. Here is another series of articles exploring the housing challenges faced by people with disabilities, also from ShelterForce.
This New York Times article discussed the lack of new housing production and how America is unlikely to accelerate construction in a way that will meaningfully increase housing supply. Affordable Housing Woes Paint a Bleak Picture, in the New York Times.
The Biden Administration is rolling out an initiative to address racial bias in the appraisal industry. Here’s a Bloomberg article about the effort.
Here is an article discussing the re-emergence of rent control in some states and cities, via The Guardian.
Salt Lake City is considering an incentive structure to encourage development of Missing Middle housing on existing lots with incentive bonuses. Read more about it here.
America needs more than 350,000 starter homes. Read more.
Here is an interesting interview with Oregon’s Governor discussing her state’s housing crisis and what she is trying to do about it. More information from Vox.
Here is a 2022 report by the National Association of Realtors exploring the challenges of housing affordability. The ‘Double Trouble’ of the Housing Market.
While Raleigh’s affordability crisis is very real, it’s still not nearly as bad as most other places across the country. As an example, here is an article declaring Raleigh “the best city in America to buy a home.” With this kind of press coverage, affordability will remain under pressure until the housing supply is dramatically increased. From Yahoo News. The consequences of low supply in Raleigh is surging suburban sprawl as indicated in this recent TBJ article.

Bonus Long Read: Development May be in Shaw’s Future, But Can it Hold on to its Past, via The Assembly.

Be sure to check out these new additions to the RaleighForward data page:

Raleigh Community Surveys: 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022.
From the Wake County Register of Deeds: May 2023’s Median Price of Wake County Real Estate Drops slightly by $500 to $459,000

Upcoming meetings to keep track of:

The Planning Commission is seeking more time to review TC-2-23 related to amending Raleigh’s current Transit Overlay District (90 additional days), proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan related to the New Bern Avenue Transit Overlay District CP-7-22 (120 additional days), as well as rezoning Z-92-22 which applies a Transit Overlay to the New Bern Avenue BRT corridor (120 additional days). This will give the Planning Commission additional time to review these proposals and to gather additional community input.
Council will once again take up the issue of potential changes to how Councilors are elected, as well as the possibility of using a scientific poll with random sampling to assess residents' views on issues like four-year staggered terms.
Council will review the proposed annual work plan for the Community Engagement Board.
The Shaw University Rezoning Z-59-22 is back before Council after deferring the case for several months to allow for additional resident engagement. Recently added conditions provide for student housing at prices no higher than the average of those of other Raleigh universities. New conditions also impose mandatory community meetings for 3 years to provide updates as development plans are submitted. The Assembly included a detailed article in their most recent edition that does an excellent job exploring the various competing interests surrounding this rezoning case.
Rezoning Z-93-22 seeks to rezone approximately 8.24 acres located on the west side of South Wilmington Street, on the block north of Ileagnes Road and South of Parkland Drive. The request seeks to increase the permitted height from 3-stories to 20-stories but keeping the existing Commercial Mixed-Use designation with Transit Overlay District. The trend since the current Council was elected continues with the applicant including a condition requiring the developer to either provide 10 dwelling units reserved for people making 60% AMI (1% of the total # of units permitted) for 10 years or pay the City a fee in lieu of $40,000 per unit. This proposal will provide approximately 1,000 new residential units, as well as permit additional office and retail uses. While these conditions may appear to address the affordable housing crisis, they will actually do very little in the long run. Raleigh needs to focus on creating permanent affordable housing rather than these kinds of housing options.

The Board of Adjustment met on June 12, 2023, to continue hearing the Hayes Barton Neighbors’ appeal of the recently approved preliminary subdivision for 18 townhomes. At the meeting, the case was deferred and will now be heard on June 29 and June 30. Click here for the agenda material.

Thoughts and Observations on the 2022 Raleigh Community Survey Results

Articles we found interesting this week:

Upcoming meetings to keep track of:

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