October 2, 2026 Newsletter

To receive these updates directly to your inbox, subscribe on Substack.

---

RaleighForward, CityBuilder and WakeUp Wake County are co-hosting YIMBYTOWN Raleigh 2026 from November 17-19. For more information and to purchase your tickets, click here.

CITYBuilder Book Club

Wednesday, October 28 | 12:00–1:00 PM
PRESS Coffee Crêpes Cocktails, 400 Hillsborough St
Please RSVP.

Join CITYBUILDER for a discussion of Homelessness Is a Housing Problem, led by Eric Braun and Nicole Stewart.

Authors Gregg Colburn and Clayton Page Aldern argue that regional rates of homelessness are primarily driven by structural housing market conditions, specifically high housing costs, rising rents, and low vacancy rates, rather than individual factors like mental illness or substance abuse. The authors show that metropolitan areas with expensive and restricted housing markets experience significantly higher per capita rates of homelessness overall.

Annual Reception

Save the Date for the WakeUp Wake County, RaleighForward and CITYBUILDER Annual Reception this December:

The Annual Reception is on Thursday, December 3, 5.30 – 7.30 at Junction West in downtown Raleigh. There will be time for socializing over heavy hors d’oeuvres, and beer, wine, and refreshments from the bar. WakeUP Wake County’s Executive Director Bert Fox will report on the Regional Coalition and plans for education and advocacy priorities in 2027.

This year’s theme is Planning the Affordable City.

GET TICKETS HERE.

If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities for the annual reception, you can reach out to Eric@RaleighForward.org.

Articles of Interest:

1. Raleigh announces a new housing production and preservation dashboard.

2. Wake County developed a similar dashboard for the County.

3. New York Times article discussing the findings of a new Pew Research Report released on September 29 detailing how housing supply impacts poverty. Here is a link to the full Pew Research Report. For another Pew Report with similar findings released in May of 2026, click here.

4. Since voters this November will vote on a Constitutional Amendment that will limit the ability of local governments authority over real property taxes, RaleighForward recommends reading this research paper that explores the negative implications of such restrictions.

5. This Lending Tree Report shows Raleigh ranks #2 “boomtown,” with housing supply/affordability being one of the primary factors impacting its high ranking. Austin came in first place.

6. Being part of civic life can help build bonds and create personal connections that enhance the social fabric that build a virtuous cycle with communities.

7. This article explores how developers are starting to design communities with ‘missing middle’ housing designs that are leading to more social connections and less social isolation.

8. Streamlining the entitlement process leads to reduced housing costs and accelerated housing production.

9. Raleigh’s transit system ranks highly in recent national survey, indicating improvements as the implementation continues of the 2016 voter-approved Wake Transit Plan.

10. Raleigh churches see their parking lots as one way they can help ease the City’s housing crisis.

From the Data Department:

City Council’s next meeting is Tuesday, October 6, 2026. Here are a few items of interest:

1. Council will be asked to authorize an amendment to a public-private development agreement and issue a notice to proceed that will allow a developer to construct a bridge over Crabtree Creek at Industrial Drive. This bridge will connect neighborhoods and new development south of the creek to the Crabtree Creek Greenway Trail and other destinations to the north. Click here for the agenda material.

2. Council will conduct a public hearing on rezoning case Z-50-25. The applicant is requesting to rezone approximately 19.74 acres of land across two parcels from Industrial Mixed Use, 3 Stories, Parking Limited Frontage (IX-3-PL) to Commercial Mixed Use, 20 Stories, Conditional Use (CX-20-CU) to expand mixed use opportunities on the site. The application includes 2233 Capital Boulevard, a 17.81 acres site, and 2321 Capital Boulevard, a 1.93 acre site. The proposal includes a condition prohibiting the following uses: detention center, jail, prison, and adult entertainment. This request would allow for more diverse mixed-use development, including residential options, and increase the allowed height from 3 stories to 20 stories.

3. Z-07-26 proposes to rezone approximately 1.5 acres at 3911 Western Boulevard, near Clanton Street, from Neighborhood Mixed Use – 3 Stories with Transit Overlay District and Special Residential Parking Overlay District (NX-3 w/ TOD & SRPOD) to Neighborhood Mixed Use – 7 Stories – Conditional Use with the same overlays (NX-7-CU w/ TOD & SRPOD). The request would increase the base district height from three to seven stories. The retained TOD could allow qualifying residential development to reach 11 stories if applicable affordable-housing requirements are met. No specific development proposal accompanies the request. The proposed conditions do not allow certain uses, such as vehicle service and rental, check cashing and payday lending, tattoo or piercing parlors, and detention facilities.

Other items of interest:

1. Register for the NC Affordable Housing Conference scheduled for October 22-23 at the Raleigh Convention Center.

2. Read the recent update on the City’s ongoing development of the next Comprehensive Plan.

3. New changes are coming to Fayetteville Street to help activate the street.

4. Current City Manager’s report can be found here.