Here’s who is officially running for mayor and City Council.
Election season is upon us, and 26 candidates with a deep desire to bring change to Raleigh have thrown their names into the ring for mayor and City Council. Now that the filing period is officially over, the ballot is set, with all incumbents seeking reelection except for Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin.
Raleighites haven’t been known to race to the polls for location elections, but keep in mind those who are elected and the decisions they make will directly affect you. Hot button issues this year include development and infrastructure, law enforcement shortages, affordable housing, DTR crime, transit, and so on.
As campaign season kicks off, here’s a district-by-district snapshot of who’s running and the issues at stake.
For full interviews with the incumbents and other candidates that declared intent earlier this year, see our extended ballot guide.
As Downtown Raleigh looks to squash crime and disarray, we press local leaders, business owners and stakeholders for their solutions.
No matter how you spin it, Downtown Raleigh has fallen on hard times. Reported crimes have increased by 60% in the last eight months, compared to the same timespan last year. That rapid rise is starting to deter both Raleighites and visitors from venturing to the area, thus affecting businesses and our economy—and it could affect our status as one of the top five places to live in the country.
Serious crimes—shootings, stabbings, robbings, assaults, harassment, vandalism, drug deals and the like, not to mention loitering and panhandling—combined with the city’s growing homelessness problem, substance abuse and fewer police on the streets, has created the perfect storm. In terms of the police presence, Raleigh Police Department is redistributing officers Downtown from all over the city, but it’s not sustainable—especially given there’s only 700 or so officers on the force right now (think ~80 vacancies). Though RPD Chief Estella Patterson acknowledges a city of this size should have closer to 1,100 officers, and hopes to ultimately get us there.
While Glenwood South has gotten much recent attention for disorder, crime has pervaded portions of Fayetteville and Davie streets and around the GoRaleigh bus station as well. “St. Roch is in a unique position, as we share an entrance with the transit center, so we are in the middle of the action and truly see it all,” says chef/owner Sunny Gerhart. “We have certainly felt the blowback of the unsavory activity Downtown for the last few months. Our business has seen a 17% reduction in sales over the last two months compared to the same time period last year.”
Nevertheless, Gerhart and fellow business owners, along with City Council members, Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin, RPD and Downtown Raleigh Alliance, are committed to navigating and overcoming these challenges and working toward both short- and long-term solutions.
Already, RPD has increased its presence Downtown via bike and foot patrols, utility vehicles, and special motorbikes that can weave in and out of parking decks to look for drug deals and other crimes; while DRA has increased its ambassador and social worker presence for those who need further assistance.
“In the last four weeks we have had 500 enforcement actions [arrests and citations] Downtown,” said Captain Jon Wood, Downtown District Commander of the Field Operations Division, during the Downtown Rundown Oct. 17. DRA also hired a private security firm to patrol areas of DTR from 10am to 10pm seven days a week, starting Oct. 31 and continuing through June 30, 2024.
For its part, the City recently purchased a new security camera cloud network dubbed Fusus (also utilized in Atlanta) that knits together various public and private DTR cameras to help identify issues and collect evidence faster. It will also allow RPD to create a real-time crime center. The same camera system will be implemented in Glenwood South as well.
“I feel these efforts and our increased police presence are making a difference,” says Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin. But, “we can’t arrest our way out of this problem,” maintains Patterson. And it’s going to take many proponents and tactics to overcome this situation. To dig into what that may look like, we tapped local leaders and stakeholders for their solutions.
Panhandling/Loitering Laws
Nowhere is Raleigh’s homelessness problem more apparent than Downtown. Aggressive loitering and panhandling have increased, especially near the GoRaleigh station. While panhandling is unlawful by the city municipal code without a permit (violation results in a misdemeanor), it’s rarely enforced.
Loitering is not currently against the law, with the exception of ordinances in specific locations, but many of the individuals we tapped believe that could help resolve DTR’s ongoing issues. However, “some of the challenges are between the city and state roads on how those laws are enforced,” says Council member Corey Branch, who represents District C, which includes parts of Downtown.
In the short-term, RPD is establishing measures to prevent loitering and trespassing after hours at the GoRaleigh bus station. “Our officers are strategically deployed during times when loitering is problematic,” maintains RPD Public Information Officer Lt. Jason Borneo. “This includes highly visible patrols throughout those areas after hours and enforcing city and state ordinances when applicable.”
Reduced Bus Fare
“While the bus station’s location has caused issues for nearby businesses lately, this wasn’t the case before the pandemic,” says The Davie owner Matt Coleman. GoRaleigh has been fare-free since March 2020, and in June, City Council voted to extend the policy through June 30, 2024. But some business owners and stakeholders believe the suspended fares have unintentionally resulted in the bus station becoming unsafe (case in point: RPD recently implemented a “zero tolerance approach” around the GoRaleigh bus station, which resulted in 274 charges in its first two weeks for crimes like trespassing, disorderly conduct, and illegal firearm and drug/drug paraphernalia possession)—and have proposed rolling back free fare.
“This is a really tough one because I was one of the champions of fare-free transit,” says stakeholder and DRA Economic Development Strategy committee member David Meeker, also the co-owner of Young Hearts Distilling on South Wilmington Street. “It’s painful because it feels like a couple hundred folks have ruined it for all the other riders who were really benefiting from free fare, but the system only works if it’s safe and it’s not always safe right now.”
Coleman agrees, but notes it’s important to recognize the transit system affects many parts of our city and nearby towns. “By offering a lower fare, we can discourage those who misuse the bus system and harm the community while still providing a useful service to those who are struggling financially,” he says. Patterson also recommends putting a system in place in which individuals would have to use an email address to access the Wi-Fi at the transit center, in hopes it would deter people from hanging around in the area.
City Council member Jane Harrison—who represents District D, which includes parts of Glenwood South—expects City Council to address the bus fare issue this month. But bringing back fares won’t solve everything. RPD is also working to expand the transit unit by assigning additional officers, as long as sufficient staffing in other areas of the city allows. In the meantime, increased private security around the transit center is a short-term fix.
Mental Health Services
In some cases, the root of these ongoing issues is poor mental health and a lack of immediate resources. According to Harrison, City Council has requested development of an independent crisis unit for nonviolent incidents, which will connect social workers with those in need. “I ask residents to stay tuned as this program will be discussed in a November Council meeting, and we will need significant community engagement to ensure its success,” she says.
Harrison also advocates for partnerships between Wake County and state government to strengthen social and public health services, including community violence intervention programs, substance use disorder support, increased shelter capacity and permanent housing for homeless individuals. “The first step is offering [programs] for those who truly need assistance,” echoes Branch.
City Council member-at-large Jonathan Melton has also asked the city manager about implementing a similar initiative to one in Wilmington in which signs are posted throughout Downtown encouraging folks to contribute money via QR codes to nonprofit providers who offer assistance to people experiencing homelessness, rather than giving money to panhandlers directly.
Moore Square Development
A longer-term solution to assist with the Downtown disarray includes the proposed development between the City of Raleigh and real estate developer Loden Properties on city-owned land to the south and east of Moore Square.
The project includes two new hotels, an apartment building with ~160 units designated for affordable housing, a grocery store, art studios, co-working space and more—as well as the rebuilding of homeless shelter Raleigh Rescue Mission near Moore Square on Hargett Street. Upon approval, Melton called it a “win-win-win for the city.”
In October, City Council voted to include three smaller parcels into the project, and in the next few months, Loden will begin negotiating with the city to buy the land before breaking ground.
As we mourn the one-year anniversary of Raleigh’s mass shooting, we reflect with city and state leaders and first responders on what we did right and what we learned.
On the evening of Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin walked toward me, phone pressed to her ear, at a joint Midtown Raleigh Alliance/Raleigh MagazineCity Council Candidate Meet & Greet. She had the look of utter grief. As I approached to greet a visibly shaken Baldwin, I paused and searched her face, asking, “Are you OK?” … “No,” she immediately returned, her voice broken. “Ask Gina,” she added, and then leaned to RM Publisher Gina Stephens and whispered, “You can tell her,” and turned to immediately leave. … Stephens and I quietly finished the event in shock, sorrow and fear without alarming anyone as candidates eagerly greeted citizens of Raleigh—a city that would wake up the next day forever changed.
What unfolded from there was everyone’s worst nightmare—including the mayor’s, who had eerily uttered aloud earlier that day, “That’s my worst nightmare,” in reference to a mass shooting in another city. … “Five hours later, I was living that worst nightmare,” says Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin of the mass shooting that devastated Raleigh’s Hedingham.
Tragedies of domestic terrorism don’t come with a forecast—by design they are intended to shock and awe, leaving as much carnage as possible in their wake. But they do have measured responses—and a plan. On this otherwise perfect sunny, mild mid-October Raleigh evening, the perfect storm was brewing for a massacre of unfathomable scale. As the young assassin rampaged through the otherwise halcyon Hedingham neighborhood—tragically taking the lives of five Raleighites, injuring two others and destroying infinite families and loved ones—two key Raleigh public safety officials, the police chief and director of communications, were out of town. But in the face of our collective worst nightmare, our public safety dispatchers, first responders, leaders and health care workers have been commended for a flawless execution. “The coordinated and swift response among state and local law enforcement and elected officials was extraordinary,” says Gov. Roy Cooper. “North Carolina families deserve to know their safety is the top priority.”
It was just past 5pm on that fall Thursday eve as people began wrapping up their work day and driving the roads when calls began flooding the Wake County Emergency Communications Center.
5:09pm | First 911 call: Reporting multiple shots fired near Hedingham golf course. Police are dispatched as numerous calls begin to come in regarding shooting victims in the area.
5:12pm | 911: “My mom and I are at home and we heard some shots outside, and I looked out my window and the neighbor is on the ground I think. Sahalee Way in Hedingham.” Dispatcher asks if that is near Osprey Cove to confirm if this is the same report. “It’s a street or so up. There’s two people! Somebody’s laying by the bush and somebody’s laying on the porch. Oh, my God, it’s two people…”
5:12pm | 911: “Osprey Cove Drive! … Just came through with a shotgun and shot my buddy. Get here ASAP! … He went back to the Neuse River Trail! … It’s an officer. … He’s in a white car… in a cul-de-sac. … The shooter is in all camo and looks like he’s like 16. One officer was shot! An off-duty cop. He just walked right through and shot him. Active shooter! Active shooter! It looks like he’s bleeding from his chest…”
5:16pm | 911: “Osprey Cove Drive. White teenager out here with a shotgun and shot somebody. He ran back into the woods…”
5:19pm | Officers first arrive on the scene.
When the city manager called Baldwin on her way into the campaign event, “she said, ‘Mary-Ann, this is really serious. There’s been a mass shooting. This young man has escaped, but he’s holed up in an old barn. We have helicopters out; the State is involved.” … “I was shell shocked,” she recalls. “I remember thinking ‘They see me walking toward the campaign event. … I have to tell them I can’t stay’—but I didn’t feel comfortable saying why. I remember getting in my car and shaking like a leaf. I was having difficulty breathing and trying my best not to cry. It was one of the most painful moments ever.”
Meanwhile, ~1,700 miles away, Police Chief Estella Patterson was in Dallas for the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference. “I looked at my phone and saw we had an officer down and several people had been shot,” recalls Patterson. “I kept telling myself I had to get back to Raleigh—to my department and community—immediately.”
The governor received a similar phone ping from his chief of staff. “It was a harrowing moment and one I won’t forget,” he says—“we were immediately on the phone with law enforcement.”
5:21pm| 911: A Neuse River Greenway cyclist caller describes two injured women on the trail near Bay Harbor Drive.
5:49pm| Emergency radio alert put out that officers are searching for a “6-foot white male. 15 years old. Camo with long gun.”
5:55pm | RPDtweets they’re on the scene of an active shooting around Neuse River Greenway near Osprey Cove Drive and Bay Harbor Drive.
6:42pm | Officers locate the suspect in an area with two outbuildings (barn-like structures) near McConnell Oliver Drive. As they attempt to search the area, the suspect fires multiple shots from one of the buildings.
6:44pm | RPD Officer Casey Clark sustains gunshot wound to knee and falls to the ground. Multiple officers, including two officers with RPD, returned fire. Officers deployed cover fire, allowing Officer Clark to be pulled to safety for treatment for his injuries. ~23 rounds were fired by RPD officers in the direction of the outbuilding where the suspect fired upon officers.
6:49pm | RPD tweets an update: “Residents in the area of McConnell Oliver Drive, Tarheel Club Drive and Old Milburnie Road are being advised to remain indoors. Drivers are advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.”
6:54pm | Gov. Cooper tweets he has spoken to Baldwin and “instructed state law enforcement to provide assistance responding to the active shooter in East Raleigh.”
With Patterson en route and the director of communications out of town, Public Information Officer Lt. Jason Borneo answered the call to step up and represent RPD. Borneo was in a meeting with the chief of staff when his phone lit up with texts and phone calls of the news. “It was difficult to believe this was happening in our community,” he recalls.
Beyond the social media storm and police scanner pickups on Reddit, broadcast media reported the confirmed details as they developed throughout the night, says ABC11/WTVD-TV VP of News Bervette Carree. “It was extremely important to be accurate with every detail, not just to be the first to report it.”
“I was on vacation and just landed back in town at RDU,” recalls Carree, who knew the neighborhood well and had a close family friend who had recently moved from Sahalee Way in Hedingham. “I jumped into journalist mode right away [and] headed straight to the newsroom. As the events unfolded and the facts emerged over the next six hours, I was numb.”
“Just to see the Sahalee Way street sign or flowers covering the neighborhood entrance was triggering because I’d spent so much time in that area. It was very surreal,” says ABC11/WTVD-TV VP of News Bervette Carree.
7:01pm | Scanner traffic reveals plan to use aerial drone to monitor the suspect in the barn.
7:17pm | 911: Dispatcher says, “They actually have a visual on this guy right now. They’re not looking for him now. They fully have eyes on him.”
7:18pm | According to scanner traffic, officers note suspect hasn’t moved and has a gun in his lap. They decide to move in with drone to advance within 15 feet.
7:22pm | Suspect is “slumped” but still moving. Drone crashes and officers discuss retrieving a bomb robot.
7:29pm | Police radio signals officers to take cover as suspect aims “to hold a shotgun up.”
7:33pm | Officers receive tip that suspect may have a hand grenade.
7:40pm | 16-year-old male found in Sahalee Way residence bathroom.
8:18pm | Per scanner traffic, suspect is contained, but officers won’t advance without more equipment.
“I was trying during those press conferences not to cry,” says Baldwin, “because I thought, ‘If you start, you’re just gonna lose it.’ … I was literally shaking and trying to maintain my composure. It was the hardest thing I’ve done in my life. But it had to be done. You’re called to lead.”
It’s a balancing act. You can’t look so stoic that you appear unaffected; nor can you appear so emotional people fear anyone’s ability to lead through a disaster. So, I asked Baldwin how you do both simultaneously, and she answered after a long pause: “I think I did it just by being me. But, man, it was really hard.”
9:07pm| Scanner traffic reveals suspect still able to move while officers try to retrieve his firearm.
9:11pm | Officers plan to keep a robot between the firearm and suspect while they employ another to retrieve the weapon, per scanner traffic.
9:24pm | Scanner traffic reports the “shotgun’s still on the ground. He’s trying to pull the trigger and nothing’s happening.”
9:32pm| Officers employ robot in efforts to pull suspect away from backpack.
9:34pm | Officers move toward the barn where suspect has been holed up.
9:36pm | Officers handcuff suspect, who has single gunshot wound and is wearing a handgun in his waistband. Officers locate shotgun and large hunting knife nearby.
9:37pm | RPD tweets “the suspect is now in custody.”
10:51pm | Press conference: Borneo confirms suspect is a “white male juvenile,” injured officer Clark has been released from WakeMed and Patterson is aboard a return flight to Raleigh.
As news of the carnage crept into the wee hours of the evening, every city resident was coping with the same shattered reality: Raleigh had joined the ranks of communities marred by gun violence—and we had lost our own in a senseless act of violence.
What We Learned
There is no amount of posturing or reflection or planning that can undo the events of that tragic evening—or bring back the five lives lost. Gov. Cooper acknowledges that while coordinated efforts were swift, it’s essential to review responses in any crisis. As we queried first responders and officials on what we learned from that night, communication was the common takeaway.
“The response seemed flawless,” says Baldwin. “But what we learned is we have to be prepared to communicate to the public what is happening.” Since that dark October night, Baldwin was invited to a January United States Conference of Mayors to speak on a panel addressing gun violence.
“Every one of you in this room needs to have a crisis communications plan in place, and you need to know who’s in charge,” she implored. “Make sure you are ready to address your residents and lead.” Since that harrowing day in Hedingham, Raleigh is in the process of formulating a crisis response communications strategy to guide us in the future.
It’s a lesson we learned again when an active shooter recently stormed UNC-Chapel Hill. Cooper points to that Aug. 28 shooting as another indication of how essential communication can be. “We know, in addition to the law enforcement response, communicating with the public and letting people know what is going on and where to go is critical. In the age of social media, having clear protocols for active shooter and emergency warnings is vital.”
Beyond safety briefings, “it’s important to note that deadly gun violence has become horrifically and sickeningly normalized in our state and country, with an average of five people a day in our state dying of gunshot wounds,” says Cooper. “The fact that someone who is well armed and protected would randomly shoot people makes things even more terrifying. We must address the scourge of gun violence by implementing commonsense gun reform and investing in mental health care for people who need support.”
The governor also points to a need for more commonsense civilian education. “It’s critical we do the basics like making sure people understand how to safely lock their firearms so their children and others can’t take and misuse them,” says Cooper.
Beyond improving our crisis action and prevention plans, “this is a time of reflection,” says Baldwin. “To pay homage and respect to the lives we lost. To revere the leaders and health care workers who bravely led us through.” And to acknowledge that we must always reflect and prepare so that, God forbid, we face another mass tragedy.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
“I was at home when I received the call from our on-call chaplain that there was a mass shooting. … After that, things felt like slow motion. I remember telling my family I was leaving for the hospital. On the road, it was dusk; the sky seemed gray and hazy. I called our program assistant to create a communication and response plan for our department. I remember feeling nervous on the highway because we didn’t know details about the shooter’s location. When I arrived at the hospital, I headed straight to the emergency department. As soon as I opened the doors, an RPD officer walked through with a family. He looked at me, at my badge, and said, ‘We need you. Come with me.’ We went to our ICU waiting room where a victim’s family member was sitting. Few facts were shared. Few words were spoken. I sat quietly next to the family member while the officer began talking to them. It was the beginning of a long, long night filled with emotions—sadness, shock, anger, fear and relief. I remember leaving the building emotionally numb from all I had experienced, and simultaneously knowing we had done good work for our community.” –WakeMed Spiritual Care Director Rev. Jeremy Gilmore, MDiv, MA
What We Did Right
“On a horrific, tragic night, we saw an immediate, overwhelming, highly coordinated, well-trained response by law enforcement to stop the shooter. That’s my expectation as Governor, and I appreciate the courage of law enforcement officers who work to keep our communities safe, particularly in dangerous moments.” –Gov. Cooper
“Despite the initial chaos, the response was extraordinary! The deaths ceased as soon as officers arrived in the vicinity. I know for a fact others could have been killed. Our presence on the scene made all the difference. I am extremely proud of every public safety officer who risked their own safety responding to the incident.” –Police Chief Patterson
“As we received information in real time, it was clear that our officers were heading into a dangerous situation. I was proud to see the response of our officers and the officers of partner agencies who responded to the incident. At the end of the day, we took a dangerous person into custody.” –Public Information Officer Lt. Borneo
Raleigh Healing Together
Friday, Oct. 13, 3:30pm, Raleigh Municipal Building: Quiet ceremony to create a space to honor the victims and survivors
Saturday, Oct. 14, 10am, Nash Square: Speakers honor front-line workers; community partners share resources on health, nutrition, mental health, gun violence prevention, and more.
From shrinking spaces and listings to rising rents—the squeeze is real.
Less for Your Money?
What a difference a year makes. While people continue to flock south—and to Raleigh in particular—for the region’s relative affordability, ironically, surging demand (and mortgage rates) has meant a skyrocketing housing market.
The result?
Many longtime locals can no longer afford to live at “home.” With the U.S. population center trending south this decade, according to a recent AP report, the region added a whopping 1.3 million new residents in 2022, with North Carolina not surprisingly trending among states for the biggest growth—behind only Texas and Florida.
Raleigh is the #1 Hottest Real Estate Market in the U.S.
Feel like you’re in a fever dream? You’re not. The cost of real estate in Raleigh has skyrocketed. We scoured citywide listings to show the seismic jump in housing costs across ZIP codes.
$2,245 Median-priced home mortgage payment Raleigh-Cary from late November 2021–late November 2022
$1,325 Nov. 2020–Nov. 2021
AFFORDABILITY
While Raleigh grapples with a shifting skyline and growth for the good (attracting big business,huge events, hospitality titans and the like), the city is also facing mounting concerns with housing affordability—not to mention cost of living, crime and transit woes (see p. 24). As the third-fastest growing county in the U.S., Wake County has work to do. No one is denying affordability as a huge issue—from Wake County Board of Commissioners Chair Sig Hutchinson to Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin, city and county leaders have acknowledged the crisis and emphasized the need for a solution. Case in point, Baldwin believes housing is a right—not a privilege—and recently revealed the city is just under 70% on its way toward its goal of 5,700 affordable housing units by 2026. “We are on track to meet our goal,” says Baldwin. “However, increases in labor and supply costs, as well as interest rates, have and will continue to present challenges. City Council has approved additional funding for communities in the development pipeline and will continue to be aggressive in meeting our goals.” But while leaders grapple with affordability and the missing middle (see below), in the meantime, demand has outweighed supply—and suburban flight is real. While home prices did dip to end 2022 after a record peak last summer, sky-high 7% interest rates kept mortgages still out of reach. We take a look at what house you get for your money across Raleigh right now—and how that once median ~$300K single-family home suddenly feels out of reach.
Least Expensive Single-Family Home: Northeast Raleigh 7805 Wakebrook Drive 27616 $290K 2023 YEAR BUILT 1953
THE MISSING MIDDLE
Raleigh is growing—but is an entire population being left out of that growth? Yes, we’re referring to the “missing middle,” a hot-button term referring to “housing types between detached single-family homes and large apartment buildings, including duplexes, triplexes, townhouses and small apartments,” as defined by the City of Raleigh. Before 2021, many of these housing types were prohibited in select Raleigh neighborhoods, sparking heated conversations, but, despite text changes to Raleigh’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) in 2021 and 2022, affordable housing options for low- to middle-income residents are still, well, missing (a quick Zillow search for homes at $300,000 will garner just over 100 listings).
To be fair, the city is taking strides to mitigate the issue and provide more options for those stuck in the in-between. For instance, off Edwards Mill Road, a single home is being broken up into four more affordable ones; and a home in the Hayes Barton area is being knocked down to make way for 17 proposed high-end townhomes. But these projects are getting major pushback as residents fight to reverse the rezoning. In Hayes Barton, residents are frustrated and have gone as far as to say these townhomes would destroy the character of their community. Clearly we need a solution to meet in the middle on the missing middle…
Tiny Homes Raleigh, The Hannah, 320 sq. ft.
Are ADUs a Solution?
A prime example of missing middle housing are accessory dwelling units (ADUs)—which were approved by Raleigh City Council in 2020. These typically 450- to 800-square-foot single-unit homes (think around the same size as a studio or one-bedroom apartment) are located on the same lot as a principal dwelling—either detached, attached or internal. And the City of Raleigh is making it easier than ever for residents to build ADUs on their properties with its ADU Fast Track program, which offers a gallery of plans already reviewed for building code compliance (permits, however, must still be individually submitted). Naturally, because these units are small and on an existing property, they’re way more affordable than building or buying a standard home—and in some cases cheaper than renting as well.
RISING RENT
What happened to supply & demand?
Rental prices in Raleigh are—to put it frankly—absurd as of late. And, despite more and more apartment complexes popping up in the area, renting in the City of Oaks remains incredibly expensive. As a matter of fact, rent is rising faster in Raleigh than any other major metropolitan area. We saw a 22.5% YoY increase in January—and Raleigh topped the list for median rent for the third month in a row. So, clearly, the whole supply and demand balance is out of whack here. Case in point: A recent Zillow report found that it would take four full-time minimum wage incomes ($7.25/hour) to afford rent on a typical one-bedroom in Raleigh.
The math… just doesn’t add up. Not to mention most apartments in the area require applicants to make 3 times the rental rate, or be incredibly close to it. So, if the rent is $2,000/month, you must make $6,000/month, which adds up to $72,000—while the average household income in Raleigh is only around $60K.
In essence, gone are the days when renting an apartment was more affordable than paying a mortgage on a home. As a result, many renters are being pushed into a “rent trap” in which they’re unable to save for a down payment on a home because all their money is going toward rent (roughly a quarter of NC renters pay more than 30% of their income in rent).
As one of the top five places to live in the U.S. according to Bankrate, Raleigh is only expected to continue growing in popularity—and population—making real estate likely more sparse and more competitive.
Tiny house interior, living in small spaces.
MICROLIVING
Does size really matter?
You might be wondering who the hell wants to live in a 160-square-foot apartment (aka microapartment)—not to mention for a relatively hefty $1,000 a month. With the announcement of local David Smoot’s plans for 100 single-occupancy 160-square-foot microunits on Hillsborough Street in January, it seems microapartments are the next big—ahem—thing in local real estate.
Clearly, microliving is about to take off. Why? Well, for starters, there’s a whole population of people who are rarely home and don’t feel the need to pay for a 600-plus-square-foot space when they really just need a shower and a place to rest their head. Case in point, Grubb Ventures and Jamestown specifically developed their soon-to-open 430-square-foot microunits at Forge at Raleigh Iron Works with those denizens in mind. Leaning into the lifestyle, they round out the development with a plethora of amenities that encourage residents to be out of the house.
The other driving factor for the microunit trend is price point. While maybe 600SF for $1,000 a month would be more appealing for some, that option just doesn’t exist in Raleigh anymore (see our “missing middle” section). So, this is what it’s come to: a closet, more or less, for four figures.
RIW Micro Units (Grubb Ventures)
The Signal—Seaboard Station (Courtesy of Hoffman & Associates)
9Coolest Big-City Amenities Coming to Raleigh
Conference room that doubles as a podcast recording studio (Forge at RIW)
Chef-inspired outdoor kitchen with grilling stations (Conclave Glenwood)
Two-story fitness center outfitted with a private training room, multiuse studio, Peloton bikes, Echelon smart touchless mirrors, weight training equipment and more (The Signal)
Indoor pet park and spa (The Residences)
Indoor/outdoor rooftop lounge with panoramic city views (The Eastern)
Luxor package room and locker system with climate control modules for perishables such as food and flower deliveries (The Residences)
Saltwater pool designed with an industrial flair including an interior window feature (Forge at RIW)
A dedicated wine lounge outfitted with a striking fireplace, warming drawer, wine refrigerator and TV alongside seating for an elevated retreat or entertaining space (The Signal)
A fully outfitted game and entertainment space with shuffleboard and multiscreen video wall for gaming or game day (The Signal)
The Residences (Grubb Ventures)
Parking Problems
As Raleigh grows, so too do parking woes. And, as long has been a problem in major metropolises, parking spots will not be plentiful enough to meet resident needs—and will come at a cost. We see this playing out in brand-new luxury builds like The Signal at Seaboard Station, which will offer the opportunity to secure a garage parking space for an additional fee. Residents may have access to additional spaces based on availability.
Defining Luxury
The term “luxury” is thrown around a lot these days—perhaps devaluing the term and blurring the line between such posh penthouses as the Eastern vs. say apartment complexes being built along Duraleigh Road (or all over town). True luxury—in such spaces as The Signal or The Residences—is defined by incredible design, best-in-class finishes (think Quartz Carrara Notte countertops and hotel-style backlit vanity mirrors), high-touch hospitality-level services and expansive avant-garde unparalleled amenities (see our list) intended to provide residents with seamless living.
Rent At A Glance
Finding an apartment in Raleigh in 2022—especially an affordable one—was no easy task. According to RentCafe, as more and more people relocated to our fine city, rental prices skyrocketed and landed the Triangle in the “competitive market” category. And it’s not just Downtown—rent in Raleigh is expensive, period. Though, yes, being in DTR will definitely cost you more. Today, it’s almost impossible to find an apartment for less than $1,000/month—including studios—with the average one-bedroom clocking in at $1,357 as of February 2023. Here, we take a look at different rental properties throughout the city and how they stack up.
Raleigh is getting its first hydroponic community garden.
A local restaurateur and his father are soon going to be able to increase food production in one area of Raleigh from 500 to 32,000 pounds (!)—and they don’t even have to use any dirt to do so. Enter Raleigh’s first indoor year-round vertical hydroponic community garden, which breaks ground today, Dec. 20.
A partnership between DTR-headquartered Green Blue Marketplace, founded by Oak City Fish and Chips owner Isaac B. Horton IV and his father, Dr. Isaac B. Horton III; and Passage Home, which works to break the cycle of poverty in Wake County, the Green Blue Community Garden will provide affordable, healthy, nutrient-rich food for all communities in Raleigh.
“This partnership will provide more than just an interesting new way to grow food,” says Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin, “it will bring opportunities that will have a far-reaching impact on people’s lives—starting in Southeast Raleigh.”
The garden comes after the Green Blue Marketplace—nee 2021—developed an ag and health tech platform to produce toxic-free, nutrient-fresh and secure food following six years of research in hydroponics, health and wellness.
Research done by the Hortons found that key nutrients in fruits and vegetables can leave the plant in only three days. By producing hydroponic food right here in Raleigh, the community garden will provide the community with the most nutrient-dense fresh produce before the nutrient index is compromised.
“This is a major advance in nutrition and food security for people in Raleigh,” says Dr. Philip Brown, past president of the North Carolina Medical Society. “I look forward to scaling across NC as we use the objective of fresh food as medicine to create new levels of health in our state.” And this is just the beginning of Raleigh becoming a Green (Blue) City.
