June 15 Newsletter
Hello, and welcome to RaleighForward on Substack!
Join us for a Happy Hour on June 24th
RaleighForward is co-hosting its next Happy Hour with WakeUp Wake County and CityBuilders. Please join us on June 24th from 5:30-7:30 at Trophy Brewing and Pizza located at 827 W. Morgan Street. Hope to see you there!
Policy Brief: Understanding Housing, Transportation, and Inequality Trends through Spatial Analysis
In our policy brief, RaleighForward analyzes a series of maps which illustrate a clear set of dynamics shaping Raleigh and surrounding areas between 2015 and 2023. Across four critical indicators: population growth, housing cost trends (both ownership and rental) and commuting patterns common themes emerge. Rapid and uneven growth, growing economic inequality, worsening housing affordability, and declining transportation access for many communities.
As Raleigh prepares to draft its next Comprehensive Plan, these maps offer both a diagnostic lens and a call to action. Below is a summary of the findings, policy implications, and a set of recommendations that can inform a more equitable, affordable, and connected future for Raleigh and the region.
Read the full policy brief and our recommendations here.
Covered Outdoor Streets in London
Take a look at the novel ways these spots in London manage to keep their streets protected from weather while maintaining an open environment. Raleigh could consider these methods to encourage more street-level activity downtown.
Articles and Resources of interest:
We’ve included several articles that supplement some of the points made in our Policy Brief. There are also several articles about Civic Assemblies. Raleigh recently issued an RFP to retain the services of a consultant as it embarks on its first use of a Civic Assembly to help develop its next comprehensive plan. These articles may provide helpful insight to readers. Civic Assemblies might also be a critical tool to help Raleigh’s City Council make some of the tough decisions they confront.
The Role of Zoning Regulations in the Perpetuation of Racial Inequality and Poverty: A Case Study of Oakland, California — Owning property improves economic standing substantially for low- and moderate-income households and renting a home in a wealthier neighborhood gives low-income families access to improved education and safer environments. However, exclusionary zoning practices continue to prevent low-income households from gaining these two key sources of wealth—education and property—and have severely limited economic mobility.
How do historical & current systemic racism and economic inequalities shape patterns of housing segregation and impact access to homeownership and affordable housing for racial minorities? — Historical and current racial dynamics, rooted in systemic racism and economic inequalities, continue to significantly impact racial minorities’ access to housing and their outcomes, demonstrating patterns of wealth disparities, segregation, and unequal opportunities in homeownership and affordable housing availability.
How Zoning Quietly Reshaped the World — In “How Zoning Quietly Reshaped the World,” Bridget Goldberg profiles architect and legal scholar Sara Bronin, exploring how zoning regulations—governing land use, housing, roads, and green space—shape daily life. Bronin’s work, including her National Zoning Atlas and forthcoming book Key to the City, advocates policy reforms for equitable urban design.
Fed Up with Red Tape? This Indiana Town Tries a New Housing Strategy — In Lawrence, Indiana—where one in two renters is paying more than 30% of their income just to keep a roof over their head—the housing crisis isn’t abstract. It’s immediate and personal. And now, a newly formed group of local advocates is stepping up to find practical solutions that don’t require waiting years or navigating layers of government bureaucracy.
NC Budget Amendment Would Undermine Local Control of University Development — Yet another example of how the NC General Assembly will interfere with local government authority whenever they so choose.
Living Large: The ADU Life — It’s been five years since Raleigh entered her ADU era—and as a massive gamechanger for housing accessibility and versatility in an increasingly volatile housing market, it’s hard to fathom what all the hoopla was to get those accessory dwelling units approved.
New Study Finds Alarming Lack of Civic Literacy Among Americans — This survey finds more than 70% of Americans fail a basic civic literacy quiz on topics like the three branches of government, the number of Supreme Court justices, and other basic functions of our democracy. Just half were able to correctly name the branch of government where bills become laws. For more reading about this issue, click here.
Will the US Start Taking Citizens’ Assemblies Seriously? — This article examines why civic assemblies have flourished in Europe and Canada but lagged in the U.S. It profiles FIDE-North America’s efforts to convene pilot assemblies in Chicago and Seattle, highlighting cultural resistance to deliberative innovation and outlining strategies—such as aligning assemblies with ballot initiatives—to overcome institutional inertia.
Civic Assemblies in Action: Lessons on Civic Engagement from Fort Collins —Drawing on Fort Collins’ inaugural Hughes Stadium Civic Assembly, this analysis details recruitment methods, facilitation techniques, and outcome tracking. It shows how a 72-member assembly delivered actionable recommendations on park redevelopment, with 85% of suggestions adopted by the City Council, demonstrating the impact of structured deliberation on local policy.
Amplifying Voices with Citizens’ Assemblies — Democracy scholar Marjan Ehsassi outlines best practices for planning a citizens’ assembly—from drafting clear charge questions to designing facilitation scripts. The article includes a checklist for ensuring demographic representativeness and offers case examples of assemblies that resolved contentious zoning disputes through consensus building.
Items of Interest in the Week Ahead:
Council holds its regularly scheduled meeting on June 17. Before the regular meeting, there is a work session scheduled for 11:30 in Council Chambers. Council will receive an update on the planning effort related to the DMV site downtown. Click here for agenda materials.
Here are a few items of interest from the regular meeting agenda:
Council will vote to approve its 5-Year Consolidated Housing Plan that is required for cities receiving CBDG grants and other funding. Click here for the agenda material and here for the 2026-2030 Consolidated Action Plan.
Council will vote to move forward with CASA to develop an 11-unit rental affordable housing cottage court development. Click here for more information.
Also, Council voted to approve the City’s FY26-27 Budget. You can read some highlights of the budget plan from Raleigh Magazine here.