District C Meeting Notes: 2.17.18
Corey Branch, Mayor Pro-Tem
Group Discussion Notes
We had another great meeting with the goal of uncovering some of the issues facing our community and finding workable solutions for them. The notes below reflect the hard work of citizens who came together to discuss and collaborate around those issues.
Thanks to all who attended and participated and we look forward to you joining us next time!
Corey Branch, Mayor Pro Tem
Compiled Group Notes
Affordable Housing
Affordable Housing = Housing Justice!
- 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) or below
- For a family of 4 that number is $76,000 (Nation wide) and $44,000 (Raleigh)
Who are the Stakeholders?
- Seniors
- Working Poor
- Developers
- Children
- The City
What are the negative impacts:
- We don't have a working definition
- People are left out due to their socio-economic status
- There is stigma around the term "affordable housing"
- The homeless population increases
- There is a lack of equity in the ability to build wealth
- It leads to gentrification (Life long home owners vs. tax displacement)
- Weatherization (Revitalize 90% with qualifications over 5 years)
- City programs (Rehab) (Utility bill assistance program was used repeatedly by less than 25%) (Some are unable to access the help due to computer illiteracy) (Some are unaware of age and income related tax issues, often through the county) (Trust issues between the citizens and the city)
- There is sever gentrification (Displacing seniors/elders)
- There is displacement of low and no income individuals and families (from homes)
- Two story homes are attractive
- How to scale projects
- Zoning requirements
- Forcing out long time residents due to taxes and housing prices
- Changing culture of neighborhoods
- Walking distance to downtown
- Housing Inventory (Family/Senior vs. Market Affordability) (9% development projects in SE Raleigh) (54% homeowners remaining)
- Youth
- Boards/ Non-Profit Support
- Mentoring
- Social Media Outreach (#whocares #Icare)
- Juvenile crime prevention board
- Beth Nelson
- Business Owners
- Increased traffic
- A need for upgraded transit
- Environmental impact
- Lack of affordability/gentrification
- Competition for resources
- Economic development vs. affordable housing
- Business growth
- AMI increases will grow the wealth gap
- District Lines/Gerrymandering
- Economic Barriers
- Funding for the Chavis Park vs. Dix Park (the funding does not seem to be equal)
- Emphasis on historic values vs. profit
- Sacrifices
- Community identity
Economic Development
Who are the primary Stakeholders for this issue?
- Employers/Businesses
- Dr. James Johnson: UNC Demographer (Utilize his study)
- Youth (17-43 yrs.)
- Permanent underclass
- Health problems
- Drug abuse
- Urban blight
- Hopelessness ("Killing the spirit")
- Stunting opportunities for businesses to grow
- The plan for access to information is the overall theme
- "How do we organize?" "What is the value proposition?"
- SCOPE:
- Under employment
- Black business representation
- Target resources to minority owned businesses
- Organize information to support business (feasibility)
- SEVERITY:
- Understanding disaggregated data
- Disparities
- Skills gap (Youth workforce development)
- Lack of generational opportunities (Second generation poverty study)
- Technology (Recognizing the digital divide)
- Workforce housing
- Racism
- Exclusion
- Housing practices
- Human Capital
- Not in the loop for dissemination of information
- Not being at the table (necessary to organize to ensure commission/council meetings are being covered
- Lack of transportation
- CAC
- GRCC
- Barks
- Voter's Coalition
- Fertile Ground Food Corp.
- Raleigh Wake Citizen's Association
- Garfield Crosby Center
Youth
What actions can our Issues Team take to learn more about this issue that will enable us to better address the issue?
- Exposure for young people
- After school development programs (properly funded and marketed)
- Subsidized lunches
- Gang recruitment
- Poverty in the community
- Peer pressure in schools
- Parents who are not engaged
- Parents who are involved in negative activities
- No accountability (Students who act up get a "slap on the wrist" and when the do things at an older age they get sent to jail)
- Identity issues
- Lack of diversity
Solutions:
- Beth Nelson: Juvenile Prevention Board (Dr. West)
- Create a board to advocate and raise funding for pre-selected, non-profit youth development programs
- County mentoring programs
- Neighborhood "pop-up" events: Teach professional development topics by hosting community events
- "Who cares?"/"I care" service where students can send a text message and receive help
- Get small businesses involved
- Raleigh Pathway Agency
- Youth Build Program
- Raleigh Summer Youth Employment Program
Connected Issues:
Who are the primary stakeholders for these issues:
- Low income citizens
- Youth
- Middle Income Citizens
- Business Owner
- City council/Local Government
- Essentially everyone
- Traffic based amount of vehicles and increase in population
- Crime
- Environmental issues (Natural resources)
- Lack of affordability/Gentrification
- Economic resources
- Competition of resources
- How can economic development and affordable housing co-exsist? (Selfish vs. Selfless issue)
- SEVERITY:
- Big impact
- Widespread issues across Raleigh
- It is real
- Money
- Population growth
- Homoginization
- Business growth ( incoming industries and potential big businesses
- Gentrification
- Average Median Income is rising (the wealth gap)
- Racial barriers
- District lines/gerrymandering
- Economic barriers
- Disparity of funding for parks
- Ex: Dix, Pullen, Chavis
- Property Marketing
- Who wants to take the "L" for the greater good?
- Who are we as a community? (Identity)
- Real estate agents
- Struggle between profit and historical upkeeping (Value)
Additional Group Comments:
Housing:
- South Raleigh City's working poor children
- Define it-There is a stigma around certain lables
- Gentrification-Tax displacement
- Awareness of city programs
- Trust of Government
- Scale of homes and zoning regulations
- Changing the culture of neighborhoods
- $76,000 is the national AMI
- $44,000 is the Raleigh AMI
- Not at the table/Permanent underclass
- Learned hoplessness
- How to access and educate
- 2005 study
Youth
- Trends: Why aren't they productive?
- Gang recruitment and poverty
- Lot's of peer pressure to do poorly
- parents are not engaged
- identity crisis
- No accountability
- Non-profit identification board
- Mentorship program
- Text service-Someone to communicate with in a crisis
- Juvenile crime prevention board
- Beth Nelson
- Digital connection
Connectedness:
- Traffic and population growth
- Crime, environmental impact, competition for resources
- How can economic development and affordable housing co-exist?
- Property marketing through Real Estate Agents
- Identity: who are we as a community?
- South East Raleigh Corridor: Tarboro to Wake Med with a dedicated bus route thru traffic
- CAC education: Who? Juris? Leader? Alerts? Meetings?
Save the Date:
Next City Council Meeting:
March 20, 2018 at 1pm and 7pm
222 West Hargett Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
Next Community Meeting:
March 17, 2018 at 9am
1214 East Lenoir Street
Raleigh, NC 27610
Contact Corey Branch
If you have thoughts on topics you would like to see addressed or guest speakers you’d like to hear from on specific tops in the future, please reach out using the contact information in this newsletter.
Email: Corey.Branch@RaleighNC.Gov
Website: CoreyBranch.com
Location: 222 West Hargett Street, Raleigh, NC
Phone: 919.996.3050
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoreyBranchforDistrictC/
Twitter: @Corey4DistrictC