Raleigh Affordable Housing Bond Referendum

Raleigh has a proposed affordable housing bond on the ballot in the upcoming general election for $80 million to increase the stock of affordable housing in Raleigh.

Join the CJJ Housing Justice team in supporting the bond by the signing your name at the bottom of the page. Support us as we continue to advocate after its passing to ensure that the bond is spent to equitably remove barriers to housing. You can also:

1. Share this fact sheet with 5 friends and ask them to join us and take the pledge.

2. Sign up to text Raleigh Jews and other voters on Sundays at 5pm starting October 4th to identify support for the bond. See calendar of upcoming text banks and sign up here.

As housing costs rise faster than incomes, Raleigh needs to invest in housing for all - including the most vulnerable among us. We must urge the City Council to invest in communities without displacing families in need. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated the urgent need for affordable housing in Raleigh.

Proposed Bond Spending

Raleigh City Council has proposed the following five bond elements for the bond. Two of these bond elements, Owner-Occupied Home Rehabilitation and Down-Payment Assistance will benefit current and prospective low-income homeowners. The other three bond elements will be used to increase the number of affordable units in Raleigh, with Transit-Oriented Site Acquisition funds specifically directed towards projects around transit hubs. However, there is little detail on how funding will be spent within each element. Therefore, we must continue to advocate that the money will be spent justly, fairly, and to benefit the most housing insecure. 

Learn more: voteyesraleigh.com

How do bonds work?

Raleigh issues the bond, people invest in the bond, and Raleigh raises its taxes to pay off the bond over a number of years. 

What are some of the key housing issues affecting Raleigh?

Property values are increasing faster than incomes. Developers are buying and demolishing properties, displacing renters who cannot afford rising rents. Homeowners are seeing their property taxes rise beyond what they can afford as their home value increases. 

What are ways that Raleigh can ensure the housing goes to the most housing insecure?

The City of Raleigh can ensure that bond spending includes affordable units reserved for those at 30% of the area median income. 

How is housing a racial justice issue?

As a result of North Carolina’s shameful legacy of housing discrimination, many of people who struggle with housing stability are people of color. Decades of discriminatory practices have made it difficult for African-American families to own and retain homes. After segregation, developers and others have capitalized on reduced property values in historically Black neighborhoods. Now, as housing costs are rising rapidly, gentrification is displacing folks from their communities.

How can you help support the bond? 

We recognize that this bond is not a silver bullet and more action will be necessary after its passing. Help us take this step forward in the following ways:

You can vote “yes” on the bond in the general election on November 3rd. View a sample ballot at vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/. The bond question will be at the bottom of page 2 under “Referendum”. Go to www.carolinajewsforjustice.org/voting_rights to learn more about voting safely in this election.  

Get involved with CJJ Wake’s Housing Justice team to continue to advocate for affordable housing by signing up at www.carolinajewsforjustice.org/wake_county_signup.

Endorsements

The following local organizations are also supporting the bond:

• Habitat for Humanity of Wake County
• North Carolina Justice Center
• Raleigh DHIC
• CASA
• Passage Home
• Oak City Cares
  

From the Jewish Perspective

Our tradition teaches us that the poor need to be heard. The right to a safe home is as ancient as the Mishna. The Talmudic rabbis laid out guidelines forbidding landlords to rent unsafe housing and outlawing unjust evictions. During the Jewish holiday Sukkot we take pleasure in sheltering under a temporary roof because we know we have a safe, permanent home to return to when the holiday is over. Yet, not everyone has a haven to return to. For millions of Americans and many in our community, temporary and unstable housing is their reality – it is a daily stress. Will I make rent? Can I find a healthy place for my children to sleep at night? Will I face an eviction or foreclosure? 

As Jews and North Carolinians, we must come together to ensure that everyone has a permanent, affordable home. The pandemic only makes our resolve stronger. Our homes are the center of our lives. Stable housing increases our ability to stay healthy, to access education and to live meaningful lives of dignity.

Add my name in support of the Raleigh Affordable Housing Bond.