March 16, 2022

As mayor, my focus has been building a more affordable, accessible, and greener Raleigh. This week, the City Council continued to deliver on that, making even more progress on my 10-point plan for housing affordability and advancing Raleigh’s Community Climate Action Plan.

The City Council continued our commitment to affordable housing by directing $4 million in funding to protect naturally occurring affordable housing along transit corridors. Last month, the City Council rezoned city-owned land near Dix Park to add hundreds of new affordable housing units to the area.

The City Council also voted to remove mandatory parking minimums. Here’s why that’s a big deal: countless studies have shown that these requirements contribute to carbon emissions, add to the cost of housing, make goods and services more expensive, and penalize residents who cannot afford to own a car or choose not to drive. This change also reduces stormwater runoff generated by parking facilities by promoting an increase in the use of tree planting and landscaping, green roofs for parking decks, and permeable materials for parking lots, driveways, and walkways. 

Our city’s policies should put people first. Preventing empty, unproductive parking lots and making way for more affordable housing is a big step in the right direction.