Chapel Hill Town Council highlights

2017-2025

I have been honored to contribute to our community’s growth, equity, resilience, and sustainability.

During my eight years on the Chapel Hill Town Council, I have played a role in:

increasing affordable housing
strengthening transit systems
mitigating the impacts of climate change
streamlining the development review process
expanding economic development through a community lens

Strategies and investments that are good for Chapel Hill also benefit the entire county.

I am proud to have contributed to significant progress in many areas, including:

Affordable Housing

Funded more than 1,400 new units and allocated town-owned land for affordable housing development.

Passed two bonds totaling $25 million to support affordable housing initiatives.

Approved a five-year strategy and funding plan supporting the development of up to 900 new affordable homes and the preservation of up to 400 existing homes.

Implemented an expedited development review process for projects with significant affordable housing, getting new units built and available to residents much quicker.

Community Safety & Social Equity

Established the Reimagining Community Safety Task Force to advise on approaches to policing that dismantle systemic racism and increase safety for all.

Passed a comprehensive nondiscrimination ordinance protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations.

Created a criminal justice debt fund to alleviate court fee burdens for justice-involved community members.

Sustainability

Adopted Chapel Hill’s first Climate Action and Response Plan, setting a course for a sustainable future.

Committed to becoming a 100% clean, renewable energy community by 2050.

Increased stormwater requirements for new developments and redevelopments to the 100-year storm level to prevent flooding.

Invested in the development of a new bus rapid transit system and expansion of the greenway network.

Planning for Our Future

Created a new Future Land Use Map and Land Use Management Ordinance (in draft), land use plans for the next 30 years that will ensure access to transit-supported housing, parks, greenways, and amenities within town boundaries while preventing sprawl and protecting the rural buffer and rural areas.
Revised zoning and other town ordinances to encourage the development of more missing middle housing and transit-oriented development.

Economic Development

Prioritized growing our commercial tax base to take pressure off of homeowners’ property taxes
Invested in key infrastructure, such as the new Rosemary Street parking deck and protected bike lanes downtown, to encourage commercial growth
Approved incentives to bring 400 new jobs to West Franklin Street and approved new office and wet lab space.

Caring & Resilience

With COVID-19, we faced one of the most difficult challenges in our history – one that was completely unexpected, created an immediate health crisis, and demanded an unprecedented response by local governments and health officials.

This experience has prepared me to lead in the current environment — a time of enormous uncertainty and lack of support from our state and federal governments.