December 1st Newsletter
Hello,
RaleighForward and WakeUP Wake County are joining to host Raising the Roof | Housing Choices for Wake County. This annual reception is set for this Thursday, December 5th. We invite you to become a sponsor; details on investment levels are below. Please reach out with any questions!
We want to continue promoting community events over the next year and we will need your help to do so. Please consider making a donation so that we can increase our reach and make sure we all have a voice in Raleigh’s direction. Checks can be mailed to 3316 Rock Creek Drive, Raleigh, NC 27609.
Reach out to eric@raleighforward.org to find out how you can get involved and what we have in store for the next year.
Articles of interest:
The Effects of Minimum-Lot-Size Reform on Houston Land Values, via HUD.
Raleigh and municipalities across the State may see their ability to tailor zoning to the unique circumstances of each community affected because of a provision tucked into the General Assembly’s most recent Helene Relief Bill (Senate Bill 382). The specific provision prohibits a municipality from downzoning a property without the owner’s consent. More importantly, it applies retroactively to actions taken 180 days prior to the effective date of the Bill. Depending on how this is interpreted, it could impact the validity of Raleigh’s recently enacted New Bern Avenue BRT Overlay rezoning. Governor Cooper vetoed the Bill, but Republicans likely have the votes to override the veto. Read more from Axios.
This article argues Chicago’s inclusionary zoning ordinance is reducing housing affordability.
Here is an interesting article exploring how/if Portland’s inclusionary zoning law is working.
This article explores how Missoula, Montana is addressing the housing affordability crisis.
New Jersey’s statewide affordable housing mandate is being challenged by smaller municipalities.
New York City passed legislation called the “City of Yes” to reduce regulatory burdens and to encourage the construction of new housing.
Utah Legislature to Consider Statewide Housing Plan, Upzoning in 2025. Read about it here.
Research suggests rent control’s benefits are outweighed by long-term impacts.
Reports and Data Analytics:
Check out Wake County’s “Enslaved Persons Project.” It explores the history of enslaved persons through records contained in the pages of Wake County deed books.
Results of the 2024 Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design and Planning Competition are here.
Items of interest in the week ahead:
The recently elected Raleigh City Council will be sworn in on Monday, December 2 at the Martin Marietta Center for Performing Arts on December 2 at 5:00 pm. For information, click here.
The first meeting of the new City Council will occur on Tuesday, December 3, 2024. Given it’s the first meeting of the new Council, the agenda is fairly light. However, here are a couple of items of interest:
The City was awarded over $16 million in grants supporting Raleigh’s Western and Southern BRT routes. Council will be asked to authorize budget adjustments for the required matching funds of just over $million. Click here for the agenda materials.
Raleigh’s first building within the Civic Campus is under construction. There is a budget amendment on Council’s agenda that involves adding funding to upfit an additional floor of the building, as well as funding for an art installation inside the new building. For more detail, click here.