The Mayor's Corner

Mayor Cowell hears Raleigh residents’ concerns about both affordable housing and housing affordability. In the first 100 days of this term, Council approved zoning, financing and more to support lower-cost housing for those earning below the average income. They also learned about the impact of missing middle changes, the need for housing supply, and future areas of growth. All of these have an impact on affordability for those making the area’s median income - $122,300 for a family of four. 

Feeling safe in your community is the foundation for a good quality of life. Between pandemic and protests, we’ve felt challenged in recent years. In our first 100 days, we welcomed Chief Rico Boyce. He’s off to a strong start, increasing community engagement through Cops on the Block and the Summer Action Plan. Our CARES and ACORNS continue to connect people with resources and avert crisis. We’re nearing completion of the fire master plan, which will help us ensure fast response times when you most need help. Look for several construction projects to move forward this fiscal year!

Being a great city means more than being a great place to live, work and play.  It means allowing each resident to establish a place they can call home. It means providing the environment for a proper work-life balance.

We’re moving forward on relocating Red Hat Amphitheater to make way for the Convention Center expansion. Downtown improvements will also include a redo of Lichtin Plaza in front of the Martin Marietta Center for Performing Arts. And along Fayetteville Street, thousands of lights on trees are brightening North Carolina’s Main Street.

Raleigh also continues to add to its world-class greenway system. What once began as a small group of unconnected paths has grown and evolved into a complex, rich network of trails leading residents to views and experiences they can reach no other way. We have added over 100 miles of trails so far.  (124.07 total miles - paved trails: 105.42 Miles, natural (unpaved) trails: 9.39 miles; greenway structures: 9.26 miles).  On one mile of the trail, between Kiwanis Park and Atlantic Avenue, glow-in-the-dark paint is helping make it easier to navigate during dawn, dusk, and even dark.