Raleigh Affordable Housing Bond Referendum (2020): Difference between revisions

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== Early discussion of an Affordable Housing Bond (2019) ==

=== Council initiates exploration of a housing bond ~~(April 2019)~~ ===

=== April 2019 - Council initiates exploration of a housing bond ===

Formal discussion of a new affordable housing bond began in spring 2019. At the April 16, 2019 City Council meeting, Council Member Russ Stephenson introduced a proposal directing staff to begin due diligence on a potential affordable housing bond and return to Council with options by June 2019.<ref>{{Cite minutes|title=Affordable Housing Bond – Staff to Perform Due Diligence and Present Options to Council|date=April 16, 2019|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=B7BSEW7056DE|item=Agenda item|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>

Formal discussion of a new affordable housing bond began in spring 2019. At the April 16, 2019 City Council meeting, Council Member [[Russ Stephenson]]<nowiki/>introduced a proposal directing staff to begin due diligence on a potential affordable housing bond and return to Council with options by June 2019.<ref>{{Cite minutes|title=Affordable Housing Bond – Staff to Perform Due Diligence and Present Options to Council|date=April 16, 2019|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=B7BSEW7056DE|item=Agenda item|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>

According to the meeting minutes, Stephenson distributed a handout outlining the rationale for a new bond and moved to direct staff to evaluate two potential options for a “substantial affordable housing bond” that could be placed on either a 2019 or 2020 ballot. While the overall design of the bond package was to be developed by City staff in coordination with Raleigh’s adopted affordable housing policies, Stephenson outlined several guiding principles for staff’s analysis. These included providing roughly equal geographic distribution of investments consistent with the City’s Affordable Housing Location Policy, supporting a range of housing types and income levels in coordination with Wake County, including both new construction and rehabilitation where financially viable, pursuing innovative development partnerships, and prioritizing projects near planned high-frequency transit corridors, particularly Bus Rapid Transit.

The motion was seconded by Council Member Stef Mendell and adopted on a 6–0 vote~~, with the Mayor and one Council member absent and excused~~. This action marked the first formal Council directive initiating development of an affordable housing bond proposal.<ref>{{Cite minutes|title=Affordable Housing Bond – Staff to Perform Due Diligence and Present Options to Council|date=April 16, 2019|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=B7BSEW7056DE|item=Vote recorded in Council minutes|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>

The motion was seconded by Council Member [[Stef Mendell]] and adopted on a 6–0 vote. This action marked the first formal Council directive initiating development of an affordable housing bond proposal.<ref>{{Cite minutes|title=Affordable Housing Bond – Staff to Perform Due Diligence and Present Options to Council|date=April 16, 2019|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=B7BSEW7056DE|item=Vote recorded in Council minutes|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>

=== Staff presents bond structure, funding uses, and ~~referendum mechanics (May 2019)~~ ===

=== May 2019 - Staff presents bond structure, funding uses, and timing ===

On May 7, 2019, staff from the Housing and Neighborhoods Department returned to City Council with a presentation outlining potential affordable housing bond scenarios and the mechanics required to place a referendum on the ballot.<ref>{{Cite govdoc|title=Affordable Housing Bond Referendum Presentation|agency=City of Raleigh|department=, Housing and Neighborhoods Department|doc_type=(Presentation)|date=(May 7, 2019)|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/files/BBXKWZ53EC25/$file/20190507HNAffordableHousingBondPresentation.pdf|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>

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Several Council members cited the City’s 2018 Citizen Survey, which identified affordable housing as the most important issue facing residents, and expressed interest in placing a bond referendum on the October 2019 ballot rather than delaying further. City Manager Ruffin Hall indicated that staff would return with additional direction in June and noted that Council approval by mid-June would be required to meet the October election deadline. The Council received the presentation without taking formal action.<ref>{{Cite minutes|title=Affordable Housing Bond Presentation|date=May 7, 2019|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/files/BBXKWZ53EC25/$file/20190507HNAffordableHousingBondPresentation.pdf|item=Council discussion|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>

=== Shift from fall 2019 to spring 2020 timing ~~(June 2019)~~ ===

=== June 2019 - Shift from fall 2019 to spring 2020 timing ===

At the June 4, 2019 City Council meeting, staff presented follow-up materials analyzing additional timing options for a housing bond referendum, including placement on the March 2020 primary ballot rather than the October 2019 municipal election.<ref>{{Cite minutes|title=Affordable Housing Bond Referendum – Options|date=June 4, 2019|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=B7BSMF70CD74|item=Agenda item|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>

At the June 4, 2019 City Council meeting, staff presented follow-up materials analyzing additional timing options for a housing bond referendum, including placement on the March 2020 primary ballot rather than the [[2019 Election|October 2019 municipal election]].<ref>{{Cite minutes|title=Affordable Housing Bond Referendum – Options|date=June 4, 2019|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=B7BSMF70CD74|item=Agenda item|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>

During discussion, Mayor Pro Tem Corey Branch emphasized broad Council agreement on the importance of affordable housing and raised the possibility that a spring primary election would allow more time for public engagement and coalition-building. Council Member Stephenson stated that while he preferred a 2019 referendum, he viewed a March 2020 election as a reasonable compromise. Council Member Kay Crowder requested additional analysis of a spring 2020 option, including proposed bond amounts and associated tax impacts.

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 == Early discussion of an Affordable Housing Bond (2019) ==
-=== Council initiates exploration of a housing bond (April 2019) ===
+=== April 2019 - Council initiates exploration of a housing bond ===
-Formal discussion of a new affordable housing bond began in spring 2019. At the April 16, 2019 City Council meeting, Council Member Russ Stephenson introduced a proposal directing staff to begin due diligence on a potential affordable housing bond and return to Council with options by June 2019.<ref>{{Cite minutes|title=Affordable Housing Bond – Staff to Perform Due Diligence and Present Options to Council|date=April 16, 2019|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=B7BSEW7056DE|item=Agenda item|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>
+Formal discussion of a new affordable housing bond began in spring 2019. At the April 16, 2019 City Council meeting, Council Member [[Russ Stephenson]]<nowiki/>introduced a proposal directing staff to begin due diligence on a potential affordable housing bond and return to Council with options by June 2019.<ref>{{Cite minutes|title=Affordable Housing Bond – Staff to Perform Due Diligence and Present Options to Council|date=April 16, 2019|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=B7BSEW7056DE|item=Agenda item|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>
 According to the meeting minutes, Stephenson distributed a handout outlining the rationale for a new bond and moved to direct staff to evaluate two potential options for a “substantial affordable housing bond” that could be placed on either a 2019 or 2020 ballot. While the overall design of the bond package was to be developed by City staff in coordination with Raleigh’s adopted affordable housing policies, Stephenson outlined several guiding principles for staff’s analysis. These included providing roughly equal geographic distribution of investments consistent with the City’s Affordable Housing Location Policy, supporting a range of housing types and income levels in coordination with Wake County, including both new construction and rehabilitation where financially viable, pursuing innovative development partnerships, and prioritizing projects near planned high-frequency transit corridors, particularly Bus Rapid Transit.
-The motion was seconded by Council Member Stef Mendell and adopted on a 6–0 vote, with the Mayor and one Council member absent and excused. This action marked the first formal Council directive initiating development of an affordable housing bond proposal.<ref>{{Cite minutes|title=Affordable Housing Bond – Staff to Perform Due Diligence and Present Options to Council|date=April 16, 2019|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=B7BSEW7056DE|item=Vote recorded in Council minutes|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>
+The motion was seconded by Council Member [[Stef Mendell]] and adopted on a 6–0 vote. This action marked the first formal Council directive initiating development of an affordable housing bond proposal.<ref>{{Cite minutes|title=Affordable Housing Bond – Staff to Perform Due Diligence and Present Options to Council|date=April 16, 2019|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=B7BSEW7056DE|item=Vote recorded in Council minutes|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>
-=== Staff presents bond structure, funding uses, and referendum mechanics (May 2019) ===
+=== May 2019 - Staff presents bond structure, funding uses, and timing ===
 On May 7, 2019, staff from the Housing and Neighborhoods Department returned to City Council with a presentation outlining potential affordable housing bond scenarios and the mechanics required to place a referendum on the ballot.<ref>{{Cite govdoc|title=Affordable Housing Bond Referendum Presentation|agency=City of Raleigh|department=, Housing and Neighborhoods Department|doc_type=(Presentation)|date=(May 7, 2019)|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/files/BBXKWZ53EC25/$file/20190507HNAffordableHousingBondPresentation.pdf|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>
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 Several Council members cited the City’s 2018 Citizen Survey, which identified affordable housing as the most important issue facing residents, and expressed interest in placing a bond referendum on the October 2019 ballot rather than delaying further. City Manager Ruffin Hall indicated that staff would return with additional direction in June and noted that Council approval by mid-June would be required to meet the October election deadline. The Council received the presentation without taking formal action.<ref>{{Cite minutes|title=Affordable Housing Bond Presentation|date=May 7, 2019|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/files/BBXKWZ53EC25/$file/20190507HNAffordableHousingBondPresentation.pdf|item=Council discussion|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>
-=== Shift from fall 2019 to spring 2020 timing (June 2019) ===
+=== June 2019 - Shift from fall 2019 to spring 2020 timing ===
-At the June 4, 2019 City Council meeting, staff presented follow-up materials analyzing additional timing options for a housing bond referendum, including placement on the March 2020 primary ballot rather than the October 2019 municipal election.<ref>{{Cite minutes|title=Affordable Housing Bond Referendum – Options|date=June 4, 2019|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=B7BSMF70CD74|item=Agenda item|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>
+At the June 4, 2019 City Council meeting, staff presented follow-up materials analyzing additional timing options for a housing bond referendum, including placement on the March 2020 primary ballot rather than the [[2019 Election|October 2019 municipal election]].<ref>{{Cite minutes|title=Affordable Housing Bond Referendum – Options|date=June 4, 2019|url=https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=B7BSMF70CD74|item=Agenda item|access-date=January 27, 2026}}</ref>
 During discussion, Mayor Pro Tem Corey Branch emphasized broad Council agreement on the importance of affordable housing and raised the possibility that a spring primary election would allow more time for public engagement and coalition-building. Council Member Stephenson stated that while he preferred a 2019 referendum, he viewed a March 2020 election as a reasonable compromise. Council Member Kay Crowder requested additional analysis of a spring 2020 option, including proposed bond amounts and associated tax impacts.