Raleigh is a rapidly growing city. It’s an exciting time to live here. But with that growth comes challenges, like the need for more housing that is affordable and safe, frequent public transit.

We must continue our work to create more housing affordability in Raleigh. I have supported the City’s efforts to provide over 5,500 affordable housing units in Raleigh by 2026 including an $80 million affordable housing bond that was approved by voters in 2020. I also supported efforts to increase and diversify our housing supply; I voted to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) by right citywide and to expand different types of housing options in more places, including duplexes, townhouses, and tiny homes. I also voted to eliminate parking minimums citywide and to establish parking maximums in an effort to build a more affordable, resilient city.

Public transit should be safe and accessible to all, especially to those who rely on it most. We are working to add improvements to our bus stops, including more benches, lights, and shelters. We have also started construction on North Carolina’s first Bus Rapid Transit route (like light rail on wheels!) I have also pushed to build more bike lanes and other non-car infrastructure.

Looking forward, we must continue to work to reduce car dependency by placing goods and services closer to people. For new developments along transit corridors, we must focus on dense, mixed used buildings with incentives for affordable housing. In our existing neighborhoods, we can accomplish this goal through community gardens and produce stands, farmer’s markets in city parks, and allowing accessory commercial units (ACUs) and neighborhood markets.

Raleigh is going to continue to grow at a rapid pace. That’s a fact. My promise is to ensure that our city remains a great place to live and work for everyone – those who have lived here for generations and those who have only recently begun to call Raleigh home.

Continuing to find a balance that provides for smart growth including more housing and transportation options throughout the city will be my priority.

I am committed to doing everything possible to keep our city safe.

Our public safety issues require a comprehensive approach, encompassing work in the areas of housing for the unsheltered, overall housing affordability, and support for our first responders.

To recruit and retain good qualified first responders, I have supported efforts to increase the minimum and maximum salary ranges for these critical workers. I have also voted to increase the number of our first responders, including creation of our ACORNS unit, comprised of officers and social workers who address mental health and other related crisis issues, as well as a special unit to patrol our greenways. I have supported efforts to prevent gun violence, including voluntary gun buyback programs.

I also know we often ask our officers to respond to calls they’re not always best equipped to handle, and I have supported creating and funding alternative response units to care for our community and alleviate some work for our officers.

Our police officers must become integral parts of our neighborhoods, and they should be able to afford to live in the neighborhoods they serve. I have worked hard to increase support for our officers and to create an accountable culture. I led our efforts to create a Police Advisory Board, and I serve as the liaison to that board.

Our municipal workforce is one of the best in the country. From our first responders to our solid waste and transportation personnel, we must continue to support them for the dedication and hard work they offer every day. I have supported pay and benefit adjustments to align with the new labor and economic dynamics in our region. We have to pay our workforce in a competitive manner. It simply doesn’t make sense to offer lower wages and then have to continually hire and retrain workers.

I also believe city workers should be able to afford to live in the city where they are employed. I support workers’ rights, a livable wage, and comprehensive efforts to reduce housing costs citywide.

Protecting our environment is an important issue as Raleigh continues to grow and develop.

In Raleigh, 42% of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by transportation and land use; two areas we have authority to influence from the City Council table. I have supported efforts to implement Raleigh's Community Climate Action Plan, including requiring EV charging in new multifamily developments, requiring pedestrian connections for new developments even when a full road connection isn't required, and prohibiting new drive-thrus downtown and in other walkable areas.  

I also led our efforts to create an e-bike incentive program, called "Ral-E-Bike." The program will assist Raleigh residents in purchasing e-bikes, through a point-of-sale voucher at participating local bike shops. The program is funded through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program. By partnering with local bike shops, we're keeping that money in our local economy, while also helping residents utilize a greener form of transportation, as e-bikes can replace cars for most trips.

Good land use and transportation policies are also good environmental policies. I will continue to support our efforts to limit sprawl by making it easier to build different types of housing closer to existing areas of employment and retail, and I am committed to continuing our efforts to increase the frequency of our transit services.

Our city cannot afford to stifle innovation. We must continue to be a place that is accepting of new ideas and businesses.

I govern from a place of “yes” when confronted with new opportunities. How we address emergent issues says a lot about our city, and our willingness to innovate and grow. Since elected, we removed the ban on short term rentals and created new guidelines for their use. We also created new rules which encourage micromobility, like e-scooters, and I led our efforts to create an e-bike incentive program. I am committed to reaching compromise solutions, rather than taking positions that are regressive.

I am also committed to making doing business with our city more efficient, especially as it relates to construction and permitting. Many small business owners simply cannot afford to endure long delays in the permitting and construction process. We have worked to streamline this process, including pivoting to tiered site plans, so that our city remains business friendly.

As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and former nonprofit leader, I have seen firsthand what happens when we greet all people with open arms. I am working to address inequities in our city, so that everyone who lives here has the opportunity to succeed.

During my service to City Council I have led on the following initiatives: requesting oversight capabilities for our newly-created police advisory board; reducing barriers to addressing City Council at public meetings; including renters in notices of new projects; fare equity for public transit; establishing an eviction assistance clinic for low-income residents; and enacting a nondiscrimination ordinance, protecting residents and visitors from discrimination in private employment and public accommodations.

We all share in the responsibility to guarantee Raleigh is a diverse, open and welcoming city for all.