January 4, 2026 Newsletter

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2025 was an eventful year in Raleigh. RaleighForward appreciates all the support received over the year. It’s not easy producing and curating content, events and newsletters, but our small group of committed volunteers continues to make it happen. To help ensure we have the resources to cover the issues that are likely to arise in 2026, please consider volunteering or making a financial contribution.

If you are interested in helping RaleighForward carry out its Mission and Vision, please reach out to eric@raleighforward.org. We need help building RaleighForward’s social media reach, fundraising, and newsletter content. If you don’t have time to volunteer, please consider making a donation.

To close out a successful year, RaleighForward’s Founder, Eric Braun, was featured in a Q&A session with Chantal Allam in the News & Observer. He was also quoted in “After Years of Legal Battles, Developer to Build 17 Townhouses in Hayes Barton.” Click here to see other media coverage involving RaleighForward.

Here are a few items to keep an eye on in 2026:

1. Raleigh begins transitioning to 4-year staggered Mayoral and Council terms.

2. Will the City implement the proposed “steady state” municipal bond financing strategy?

3. Will any or all the pending “Missing Middle” litigation be resolved? If so, what will the impact be on Raleigh’s Missing Middle reforms and housing affordability?

4. The continuing work on Raleigh’s next Comprehensive Plan, particularly the City’s first use of a civic assembly to gather community input.

5. Projects like Downtown South, development around Lenovo Arena Area, RUS BUS and the redevelopment of Heritage Park.

6. Will the collaborative model with RaleighForward, WakeUp Wake County and CityBuilder grow and how effective will it be in shaping public policy around housing affordability, urban density and fiscal impacts.

Looking back on 2025:

As we close the books on 2025, we thought we would share some of the most popular RaleighForward content:

1. Anything and everything related to Raleigh’s Missing Middle housing reforms.

2. Policy Brief: Understanding Housing, Transportation and Inequality Trends Through Spatial Analysis.

3. Policy Brief: Understanding What Property Value Maps Reveal About Raleigh’s Past, Present and Future.

4. Understanding Public Housing and Housing Voucher Programs: A Guide for Developers and Community Stakeholders.

5. RaleighForward, WakeUp Wake County and the City of Raleigh hosted the National Civic League for a program on emerging citizen engagement tools with particular focus on civic assemblies.

6. Raleigh released the results of its 2024 Community Survey. The City has been conducting this detailed community survey every 2 years since 2016. It explores resident views across a wide range of topics including efficiency, public safety, growth and development and many others. The poll is conducted by a professional polling company. To review all poll results since 2016, click here.

7. Continuing the Discussion About Why Density Matters for Raleigh’s Fiscal Future.

8. Raleigh City Council Shifts to 4-Year Staggered Terms with a Primary in 2026.

9. Council held its mid-year retreat in September and forecasted some of the issues the City will be grappling with in the coming months and years.

10. In December, RaleighForward, WakeUp Wake County and CityBuilder held their annual reception. This year, we were honored to have Dr. Jenny Schuetz (author of Fixer Upper: How to Repair America’s Broken Housing Systems) as our featured speaker. Click here to review her presentation.

From the Data Department:

1. The median price of real estate in Wake County was $450,000 in January of 2025. According to the latest data available from Wake County, the median price of real estate rose to $470,000 in November of 2025. RaleighForward will continue monitoring real estate values in 2025. For context, here is how the median sales price has changed since 2020:

Raleigh City Council next meets on January 6. Here are some agenda highlights:

1. Council will consider adding $450,000 to continue and expand the ongoing pilot the City started through the Bringing Neighbors Home Initiative. This money will be used for rental assistance and case management services to assist the City’s formerly unhoused population. Click here for the agenda materials.

2. Staff will provide an update to Council on the new City Hall project. The project is slated for completion in March of 2027. Click here for agenda materials.

3. Council will consider approving $2,880,000 in gap financing in support of a unique partnership between Blue Ridge Development and the Raleigh Housing Authority for the redevelopment of a portion of Duplex Village with 120 affordable new housing units. Click here for agenda materials.

4. Council will continue the public hearing for Z-9-25 (the former K-Mart property on Western Blvd). The hearing was continued to allow the applicant to amend the zoning conditions related to landscaping. Click here for agenda materials.

5. Based on revisions to its Strategic Plan, Council will consider revisions to its committee name/structure. Click here for agenda materials.

6. Council will conduct a public hearing for rezoning Z-34.25 (North Hills West side of Six Forks Road). The rezoning request is not asking for any additional density than what is presently allowed under the current zoning. However, the request seeks additional height (capped at 37-stories) where the gas station is located currently, as well as additional height along Lassiter Mill Road. The conditions also offer a $400,000 contribution to the Raleigh Fire Department. Click here for agenda materials.

Other items of interest:

1. Click here for the latest City Manager Report.