1. Public Employee Living Wage Commitment: As a county chapter of the Progressive Caucus of the North Carolina Democratic Party, we require all candidates seeking our endorsement to pledge to advocate for and ensure that public employee salaries meet or exceed a living wage. Please read and sign the pledge here before continuing your endorsement application: https://www.pcncdp.org/pledge. Once you have signed the pledge, please indicate doing so below:

 a. [I have signed the Public Employee Living Wage Pledge!]
 b. [I have chosen not to sign the Public Employee Living Wage Pledge at this time.]

In addition to the Living Wage Pledge, do you support a living wage for all part-time and seasonal city workers, and believe the city should cover healthcare premium costs? Why or why not?

One of my main priorities is supporting City staff and ensuring the City has the resources needed to deliver high-quality services. That includes competitive pay and access to benefits such as healthcare.

Yes, I support a living wage for all part-time and seasonal City workers, aligned with local cost-of-living. City employees are essential to daily operations and the services residents rely on. Paying competitive wages improves retention and helps attract people who are a good fit for these roles. Investing in employees saves the City money over time because recruiting, onboarding, and training new staff is costly. City workers should also be able to afford to live in or near the communities they serve.

On healthcare, I support the City covering premium costs for full-time employees and long-term/regular part-time employees, with clear eligibility requirements (such as an hours-worked threshold) to ensure fairness and prevent misuse.

For seasonal and temporary part-time workers, full enrollment in the City’s health plan can be complex due to turnover and administrative challenges (tracking hours and eligibility, enrollment and offboarding, mid-year changes, and coordination with payroll and providers, etc). For those employees, options like healthcare stipends or vouchers may provide more practical and sustainable support. This should be implemented with clear eligibility guidelines to prevent misuse of City resources.

Do you support placing limits on the size of campaign donations for candidates running for Raleigh City Council? If so, what should be the maximum amount for all categories of donations? Additionally, have you accepted contributions from the real estate industry or its executives? If yes, from which entities and why did you accept those contributions? Please explain your position and reasoning.

Yes, I support placing limits on the size of campaign donations for candidates running for Raleigh City Council.

City Council should represent people from all walks of life, and campaigns should be funded by people who believe in a candidate, not by a small group of donors with the ability to write very large checks. Most people do not have access to wealthy networks or institutional fundraising, and that reality can make it harder for everyday people to run for office or be competitive.

I believe placing reasonable limits on individual donations helps level the playing field. A cap around $1,000 or less per donor would still allow candidates to run serious campaigns, while encouraging grassroots support instead of relying on a small number of large contributions. That kind of system builds more trust between elected officials and the communities they represent.

I have not accepted contributions from the real estate industry or from real estate executives. My focus right now is building a people-powered campaign backed by everyday residents, including workers, small business owners, and people from communities that are often left out of city decision-making. Many of these supporters cannot afford to give large donations.

Because of that, I am intentionally prioritizing smaller contributions from as many people as possible. This reflects the kind of leadership I believe in, one that is accountable to the community and not driven by large donors.

What is your overall strategy to increase housing supply while maintaining long-term affordability and preventing displacement?

Housing prices rise when demand is high and supply is low, and that has been the case in Raleigh as the city has grown rapidly.

My overall strategy has three parts: Increase housing supply in a smart, neighborhood-compatible way, enable long-term affordability where public investment is involved, and prevent displacement by preserving existing affordable homes and protecting current residents.

Raleigh’s zoning reforms in the 2020–2021 timeframe allowed more housing types to be built than was possible before, including missing-middle options. I support continuing Raleigh’s move toward allowing more diverse housing types. We should pair that with better design standards so new housing fits with surrounding neighborhoods and with incentives that protect our tree canopy. We should also reduce unnecessary barriers that slow down delivery, such as overly long permitting
timelines and avoidable process delays.

Increasing supply alone is not enough. “Affordable” means households spend no more than 30% of income on housing, and most programs target households earning up to 80% AMI. We need stronger strategies targeted to 50% and 30% AMI, where the risk of displacement is highest. When public dollars or land-use incentives are used, we should require clear income targeting, longer affordability periods, and strong compliance so units serve the residents they are intended to serve.

To prevent displacement and protect current residents, we need to preserve existing affordable housing that is currently affordable but at risk of redevelopment. We should address this with strategies such as renter stabilization resources and homeowner repair programs, so people can stay in their communities as Raleigh grows.

What requirements should the City impose on large developers to ensure they contribute to affordable housing, sidewalks, transit access, schools, and other community infrastructure?

Raleigh generally cannot require developers to include affordable housing under current state law. We should use a mix of development standards and incentives to ensure growth contributes fairly to affordability and infrastructure.

For affordable housing, I support strengthening voluntary incentive tools such as density and height bonuses tied to clear affordability requirements and long affordability periods.

For community infrastructure, we should set clear standards that require safe, connected sidewalks and walk/bike connections, and better internal connectivity that supports transit, especially near transit corridors and planned BRT. For larger developments, I support public-private partnerships and gap financing, with transparent performance measures and enforceable outcomes.

Schools are a difficult area because local authority is limited under state law. We should work closely with Wake County Schools and focus on what we can actually control by aligning growth with infrastructure planning and prioritizing housing near services, employment centers, and transit.

As a Council member, I would prioritize understanding the legal constraints Raleigh operates under and working closely with planning staff, housing experts, and community stakeholders to evaluate existing policies and refine them where needed. The goal is to ensure growth contributes fairly to affordable housing, infrastructure, and long-term neighborhood stability, without discouraging needed housing supply.

What zoning or land-use changes do you support to reduce sprawl, preserve naturally occurring affordable housing, and promote transit-oriented development?

I support zoning and land-use changes that allow a wider range of housing types, such as townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, ADUs, and other small-scale options. This is critical to reducing sprawl by making better use of land within the city and creating more attainable housing options.

We should prioritize responsible infill and mixed-use development in existing neighborhoods and commercial corridors, instead of pushing new growth outward. This includes identifying underutilized and vacant land and making it easier to build housing in appropriate locations by removing unnecessary barriers.

I support transit-oriented development. Affordable housing should be built near frequent transit, planned BRT, retail, and employment centers. Zoning near these corridors should support more homes and a mix of uses, paired with requirements for safe pedestrian infrastructure.

Preserving naturally occurring affordable housing also needs to be a priority. We should use zoning and land-use decisions to support preservation and reduce displacement. This includes strategies to rehabilitate and preserve existing affordable rentals and to pair new development with protections and stabilization resources for current residents.

Community engagement is a key element here. Residents should be informed and educated about why zoning and land-use changes are being proposed, how they help manage growth, and how they benefit the city as a whole, while ensuring new development is designed to fit better with its surroundings.

What role should public investment play in preserving existing affordable housing and creating new units, and how should these investments address climate risks?

Public investment plays a major role in both preserving existing affordable housing and creating new units.

Naturally occurring affordable housing is often older housing that is currently affordable but at risk of redevelopment or deterioration. Public investment can help stabilize these homes through acquisition and preservation support, renovation and repair funding, and partnerships with mission-driven nonprofits and the Raleigh Housing Authority.

When public dollars, city-owned land, or housing bond funds are used for new affordable housing, those investments should come with clear affordability commitments, long affordability periods, and strong compliance to ensure units serve the households they are intended to serve.

These investments should also address climate risk. Existing affordable housing is often older construction and more vulnerable to extreme heat, storms, and flooding due to poor insulation, outdated standards, and structural wear. Public funding should prioritize resilience upgrades, such as energy efficiency, weatherization, and critical repairs without displacing residents and without shifting costs onto residents through rent increases.

For new affordable units, we should prioritize locations near transit and services while avoiding known flood-risk areas. We should also incentivize developers to incorporate green infrastructure and protect tree canopy and shade to reduce heat impacts.

As a Council member, I would focus on understanding the legal limits and the practical incentives and tools available to us so we can better use public resources to reduce displacement and strengthen long-term housing stability as Raleigh continues to grow.

Do you support placing a bond referendum on the Raleigh ballot to fund solar installations on public buildings and reinvest savings into public services and worker pay? Why or why not?

This sounds like an idea I could get behind, but I would need to review the data and understand the constraints before I could say yes or no.

First, I’d want to see data on how many public facilities are realistic candidates for solar, the projected net savings, and the expected return-on-investment timeline. I’d also want to understand how and when those savings could realistically be reinvested into public services and worker pay, how long it would take to get there, and how we would track and report results publicly.

Also, with Raleigh’s 2020 Affordable Housing Bond program window coming to an end in 2026, I’d want to evaluate how successful that bond has been in implementation, where the gaps were, and what the long-term repayment timeline looks like. That context matters when we’re deciding what we ask voters to support next.

Based on that analysis, it may be that another affordable housing bond is a higher priority for a future referendum. I do support pursuing renewable energy improvements on public buildings, and that could be done through other financing options that may be faster or lower-risk than a new bond.

What actions will you take to improve public transportation, address climate impacts in vulnerable neighborhoods, and support equitable economic development for workers and small businesses?

On public transportation, I will support changes that make buses more reliable and easier to use. That includes safe, ADA-accessible ways to get to and from bus stops, sidewalks, crosswalks, better lighting, and improved stops. I also support building new housing near transit, retail, and employment centers so more people can walk, take transit, and spend less time and money getting around. I support Raleigh’s planned BRT, and I will push for clear, regular updates on timelines, costs, and results so the public can track progress.

On climate, I want the city to focus first on neighborhoods getting hit hardest by heat and flooding. That includes planting more trees, improving drainage, and using green stormwater solutions that help soak up heavy rain and reduce flooding. I also support programs that fund repairs and energy-saving upgrades in older, naturally affordable homes, without rent increases that push people out of their neighborhoods. I also support clean energy projects, like solar and energy upgrades,
that lower power bills and improve air quality.

I’m a small business owner, and I know how hard it can be to start and grow a business here. High rents and confusing city processes can make it even harder, especially for underrepresented communities that don’t always have clear access to available resources. I will work to make city rules and permits easier to understand, faster, and more predictable. I’ll also support practical help for small businesses, especially in areas affected by major construction or redevelopment, such as the planned BRT project, so they can stay open and keep serving the community.

I will work closely with city staff and local business owners to study what’s working, identify barriers, and build practical policies that support small businesses and workers. I want city spending and incentives to create real opportunities through worker training, workshops, and apprenticeship programs.

How will you ensure that Raleigh’s city government maintains transparency in budget and policy decisions, provides meaningful opportunities for community engagement, and actively involves residents—particularly historically excluded communities—in shaping city priorities? Please provide specific strategies or initiatives you would implement.

Transparency and community engagement are core priorities for me.

Budgets and major policy proposals should be shared as they are being developed, not only at the final vote. I support plain-language summaries, clear timelines, and a public decision calendar so residents understand what’s coming and when input matters. For major spending items, residents should be able to easily see the purpose, cost, timeline, and progress of projects.

Engagement also needs to be more accessible. Many residents cannot attend meetings due to work schedules, family responsibilities, transportation barriers, or lack of awareness. I support more flexible meeting times, hybrid and remote options, and inclusive practices such as translation, accessible materials and family-friendly event formats. Engagement should happen where people already are, including neighborhoods, schools, community centers, and existing community events.

The City also needs to close the loop by clearly communicating what was heard, what changes were made, and what cannot be done and why. That transparency is essential to building trust and long-term participation.

Reinstating the Raleigh Citizen Advisory Councils (CACs) is a positive step, but information about CACs remains difficult to find. The City should centralize and regularly update CAC information, use digital and social channels consistently, and evaluate whether additional CACs are needed as Raleigh continues to grow.

​Finally, I believe in building long-term relationships with communities across Raleigh, including African American communities, immigrant communities such as Latino, Arab, Asian residents, and faith-based communities like churches, mosques, synagogues and more. Partnering with trusted community leaders is one of the most effective ways to engage residents who have historically been excluded from city decision-making and to create meaningful, two-way engagement.