October 13th Newsletter
Hello,
RaleighForward and WakeUP Wake County are jointly hosting a Happy Hour on Thursday, October 17 starting at 6:30pm. Join us to kick off early voting in Raleigh! Details below:
Articles of interest:
Recently, RaleighForward, along with many other civic leaders, were asked to support Raleigh’s effort to secure funding through the Reconnecting Communities Grant to help connect Dix Park to Downtown. One suggestion we have heard over the years is the Dix Park “gondola.” While that may sound fanciful, here is an interesting article about the transformative impact a cable car system has had for a community in Mexico City.
Kamala Harris housing proposals and similarities to the YIMBY movement, the Washington Post reports.
A large portion of affordable housing built using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit is starting to approach the end of the required 30-year “affordability mandate.” Unless those properties are acquired by buyers willing to keep the affordability restriction in place, America stands to lose those affordable units to market-rate purchasers, the AP reports.
Small mortgages are in short supply, particularly in cities with low-cost housing.
The Corner Store Comeback, via Bloomberg.
What it takes to fill a food desert, also via Bloomberg.
Here is a short interview with Scott Farmer of the NC Housing Finance Agency discussing affordable housing, from NC Newsline.
House Poor: How Low-income Homeowners Struggle in the Shadows. Read it here.
What started as emergency housing could offer a model for ending homelessness in Delaware.
Who Killed the City? From Southern Urbanism.
Reports and Data Analytics:
The median price of real estate in Wake County increased by $5,000 to $460,000.
Since 2016, the rate of “chronic” (as opposed to “intermittent” or “episodic” homelessness) has been rising. To address this, communities need to develop more permanent supportive housing options.
Access to Small-Dollar Homeownership in Three US Cities, from Pew Trusts.
Check out the Urban Institute’s Upward Mobility Dashboard.
Items of interest in the week ahead:
Council meets on October 15, 2024. Similar to other recent meetings, Council’s agenda is fairly light as the election approaches.
During the work session, staff will present information about a project to improve the City’s website to make it easier for residents to locate information. Click here for the agenda item.
Council will receive a report from staff regarding recent outreach to stakeholders related to potential revisions to the City’s Missing Middle Ordinances. After the presentation, Council may authorize one or more text changes. Click here for agenda materials.
Council will consider providing 12 months of operational subsidies to the King’s Ridge permanent supportive housing community to help close a funding gap while the developer seeks further financial assistance from the local housing authorities through Project Based Vouchers. Click here for agenda materials.
City Council will conduct a public hearing on a Comprehensive Plan amendment (CP-4-24) related to the closure of a portion of South Street related to relocating the Red Hat Amphitheater. Council voted 6-0 on September 17 to permanently close a portion of South Street. Staff is now asking Council to change Comprehensive Plan policies to align with Council’s September 17 vote closing a portion of South Street. Planning Commission voted 5-4 to recommend against the amendment. After the public hearing is closed, Council is likely to vote on the proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendments. Click here for the agenda materials.