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A majority of Wake County voters think that there are already enough different housing options. Yet 76% of county voters said housing affordability is a “very big” or “fairly big” problem.
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Those statistics, which came from a March survey of 500 Wake County voters, are part of a new campaign launched by the Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors.
Called Raleigh Rising, the campaign hopes to educate residents about housing availability and affordability, and give people the information they need to understand and participate in growth and development in their communities, said Danielle Plourd, government affairs director for the association.
“An informed community — one that understands our need for more housing and how the process works, what rezonings actually mean for their street — makes homeownership possible for the people who really hold the community together,” Plourd told The News & Observer in a phone interview.
Raleigh’s population surpassed 500,000 as of March, The N&O previously reported, and that growth is expected to continue.
Wake County is expected to be 110,000 homes short of demand by 2029. Statewide, North Carolina will be facing a housing inventory gap of more than 764,000 units by 2029, according to a February 2025 report from the NC Chamber Foundation, North Carolina Home Builders Association and NC Realtors.
The campaign, which is funded by a grant from the National Association of Realtors and runs through February, has already published a free community advocate handbook online. It defines housing types and zoning terms, outlines the zoning process, contains email templates and phone scripts for sharing feedback on a rezoning or housing project with an elected representative, and provides contact information for Raleigh and Wake County leaders.
Raleigh Rising released the results of the March survey, conducted by Statara, which asked about people’s perceptions of growth, density and affordability.
The campaign will share a video series showcasing “the real people behind the statistics.” The first video focuses on a Wake County educator who left public schools for a job at a private school so that she could afford a home.
Three free, in-person events are scheduled for the fall. The first, at Chavis Park Reception Hall on Sept. 17, is a town hall to discuss the results of the Statara survey, hear from the Wake County Housing Authority and receive advocacy resources.
In October and November, Raleigh Rising will lead neighborhood walking tours to discuss density and walkability.
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One of the walking tours is planned for the North Hills area, Plourd said, where residents can walk to stores and restaurants, without having to drive.
“Traffic and the construction that we’re seeing is something that comes with growth, but if we’re actually planning neighborhoods in the correct way, it should decrease the time needed sitting in that traffic,” Plourd said.
Raleigh Rising wants to promote the idea that increasing housing availability can lead to housing affordability, giving people such as teachers, first responders, nurses and young families opportunities to live in the communities they serve.
But North Hills isn’t known for housing affordability, and some naturally occurring affordable housing properties in the area, including The Pointe at Midtown, a 365-unit complex on Navaho Drive, are being demolished and replaced.
“Unfortunately, that area is being eliminated. But right now, when you look at a place that has housing availability and has walkability, that’s kind of what we’re highlighting, is that this is what density looks like, and if we can insert that affordable housing into this area, it makes it stronger,” Plourd said.
While most Wake County survey respondents agreed that housing affordability is a problem, 60% were opposed to changing zoning laws to allow for more dense development. That has to do with a misunderstanding of what affordable housing can look like, Plourd said.
“There’s so many creative ways to still maintain the character of a neighborhood, while ensuring that there are options there for everybody,” she said.
The elephant in the room is that Realtors earn money helping people find homes, and arguably stand to gain from more potential clients.
“The handbook and these town halls are available for free. It works whether or not the person receiving it ever calls a Realtor,” Plourd said. “And all it is doing is explaining how rezoning works and the various options that are available to make homeownership more affordable, so our citizens can decide for themselves how they want to get involved.”
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