Housing Justice

Housing access and affordability are crucial issues in Carrboro and all across the country in the coming years, and as a progressive community we need to be taking the lead to keep housing costs down and ensure working people can build equity in their homes. At the same time, we need to make sure our town does more to incorporate the perspective of the renters whose work is so instrumental in creating our vibrant, prosperous community.

Our approach to housing justice is threefold:

*We need to proactively seek to build as much dense, transit-connected housing as possible, and we need to guarantee more affordable units at higher standards of affordability. 

*We need to explore progressive zoning and development models, prioritizing development of tenant-owned housing, co-operative models, and community land trusts.

*We need to use town resources to explore radical solutions to correct long-standing injustices in housing equity, particularly for workers of color who have been so instrumental in building our major employers. 

Racial Solidarity

Carrboro has been built with the talents and labor of a diverse multi-racial working class, and if we’re going to continue to stand out as a progressive community, we’ve got to be proactive and conscientious about making it easier for people of color to build community and equity in our town. Housing and transit must make it easier for people of color to live and build wealth in Carrboro. Sustainability efforts must include provisions not to displace the environmental costs of growth onto communities of color. From community safety and policing to design and development of public green spaces, we need to make sure every single decision we make as a town guarantees a just access to opportunity for people of color.

Organizing From Office 

Our era of income inequality and climate crisis demand a mass response from a multiracial, multigenerational movement rooted in solidarity. To the fullest extent possible, we need to marshall the tools of local office to help build this power at home in Carrboro. With an active, accessible, and accountable local movement in place, we can truly reimagine how local government can be used to put people and sustainability over profits as our town grows. 

Truly Accessible Green Spaces

Carrboro’s natural areas are one of our town’s greatest resources, and one of the least expensive, healthiest ways for all of our citizens to enjoy town resources. It is vital we make sure these spaces are fully accessible to working class people, disabled people, and citizens of every age, and these questions of access are major considerations in the town’s upcoming Comprehensive Plan. As we finalize that plan, we must ensure our green spaces are fully integrated into the town’s transit priorities, put accessibility at the forefront of design, and feature diverse, affordable public programming that allows the widest possible range of neighbors to experience our green spaces.

Transit That Works for Workers

Carrboro has done an admirable job as a regional transit leader, but sustainability and affordability demand that we continue to proactively expand mass transit, bicycle access, and efforts to reduce single car transit and commute times for working residents. This calls for a systemic approach, adding service where our system is overburdened and using transit access as a primary consideration for all growth and development discussions. Many Carrboro residents love living in a small town that nevertheless offers the sustainable convenience of a “15-minute city,” and we need to make that the reality for our entire town. 

Carrying Carrboro Values Forward 

Many of the most pressing issues in our community demand a radical response, and Carrboro’s legacy as a progressive leader makes it uniquely well qualified to meet the moment. Our town has historically taken bold stances on behalf of marginalized communities and been a regional leader addressing issues of sustainability and accessibility. Honoring our legacy of progressive government means carrying that spirit further, changing the ways we can use our town structures collectively to preserve a sustainable future that puts people over profit.