Hello CITYBUILDERs and Happy July!

It’s been a great summer so far. It’s a privilege to watch this community grow as new people discover CITYBUILDER and our events, and it’s a thrill to see the same folks return with new friends and family in tow. Thank you for building this movement with us!

In June, we kicked off the first night of our Summer Film Tour. Thank you again to Sean at Fullsteam Brewery for providing space and refreshments. Not only did we get to watch inspiring films about housing and urbanism, but we got a sneak peek at the new Fullsteam Brewery space at the American Tobacco campus in Durham. Thanks to everyone who came out for an unforgettable evening!

Next, the Film Tour is headed to Hearsay in Cary! Get your $10 tickets ahead of time, or you can buy them at the door. We’re showing the same reel from Better Cities Film Festival at each location. If you saw the films in Durham and think there’s someone who needs to see them, send them to Cary on July 22nd or Raleigh on August 26th. It’s a family-friendly evening, and a great chance to escape the summer heat, sit back, relax, and enjoy thought-provoking and inspiring films. Thanks to our partners Southern Urbanism, and our Durham sponsor The Rocket Shop for your support.

Interested in sponsoring one of our upcoming film nights in Cary or Raleigh? Reach out for more info (citybuildernc@gmail.com).

Also in July, we’re excited to again be partnering with our good friends at RaleighForward and WakeUp Wake County for a Happy Hour on July 29th from 5PM to 7PM at Good Graces in North Raleigh. Come connect with the pro-housing community in Raleigh, and find out more about these three important, community-based organizations, working at different scales for Raleigh, Wake County, and the Triangle.

All that, and the 4th of July coming up! Whether you like to grill out, participate in a parade, watch the fireworks, or dig into our rich history, the Triangle has got you covered.

We hope you have a safe and celebratory 4th of July. We can’t wait to see you!

Charlotte Chapman
Executive Administrator, CITYBUILDER

In Case You Missed It…

Be an Early Bird for YIMBYtown 2026!

Registration for YIMBYtown 2026 is LIVE! Get your Early Bird tickets now at yimby.town.

Got an idea for a talk? Apply to speak! RFPs are open through July 17th!

JULY EVENTS WITH CITYBUILDER

SUMMER FILM TOUR - CARY!

Wednesday July 22nd • 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Hearsay, A Cocktail Bar • 317 W Chatham St, Cary
RSVP & Tickets

Join us for the second stop on our Summer Film Tour!

We’re partnering with Better Cities Film Festival and Southern Urbanism to showcase a selection of short, documentary films highlighting housing and urbanism from across the country.

The films showcase lessons from other places, lessons from the past, and inspiration for the future that we can apply to our local Triangle communities.

This will be a family-friendly evening, and a great chance to escape the summer heat, sit back, relax, and enjoy thought-provoking and inspiring films. Your $10 ticket to the event includes popcorn. Drinks will be available for purchase.

HAPPY HOUR with RaleighForward • WakeUp Wake County • CITYBUILDER
Wednesday July 29th • 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Good Graces • 540 St Albans Dr Ste 130, Raleigh
RSVP at the link

We’re excited to again be partnering with our good friends at RaleighForward and WakeUp Wake County for a Happy Hour on July 29th from 5PM to 7PM at Good Graces in North Raleigh.

Come connect with the pro-housing community in Raleigh, and find out more about these three important, community-based organizations, working at different scales for Raleigh, Wake County, and the Triangle.

We’ll see you there!

Happy Summer CITYBUILDERs!

We’re looking forward to a season full of sunshine and more ways to connect and build the pro-housing community together!

This summer, we’re putting our usual Book Club on hold. (We’ll be back in September with Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity by Yoni Applebaum if you want to get a head start on reading.)

In lieu of our Book Club, we’re thrilled to announce a Summer Film Tour! We’re partnering with Better Cities Film Festival and Southern Urbanism to showcase a selection of short, documentary films highlighting housing and urbanism from across the country. This will be a family-friendly evening, and a great chance to escape the summer heat, sit back, relax, and enjoy thought-provoking and inspiring films.

Our first movie night is June 25th at the new FullSteam Theater in the American Tobacco Campus. Tickets are available now. Join us in Durham in June, Cary in July, or Raleigh in August. We can’t wait to see you there!

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For our June Policy Talk, we’re excited to showcase the work of Paige Kanipe. Paige is a recent graduate of North Carolina State University with a Masters of Advanced Architectural Studies. Her graduate thesis work focused on how buildings can be deconstructed rather than demolished in order to preserve building materials and reduce construction waste. Join us for a virtual lunch and learn on June 16th to learn more about this innovative, sustainable approach to building.

And if you haven’t already, be sure to sign up to join us this weekend for a tour of ADUs in Raleigh! We’re excited to celebrate and show off what’s been built since Raleigh passed groundbreaking reforms in 2020 to allow ADU construction by-right in the city. Come see the progress we’ve made!

We can’t wait to see you there; happy summer y’all!

Charlotte Chapman
Executive Administrator, CITYBUILDER

ICYMI - SIGN UP NOW FOR YIMBYTOWN!

Be an Early Bird for YIMBYtown 2026!

Registration for YIMBYtown 2026 is LIVE! Get your Early Bird tickets now at yimby.town.

JUNE EVENTS WITH CITYBUILDER

ADU Professional Training
Saturday June 6th • 9:00am - 12:00pm
AIA Triangle • 14 E Peace St, Raleigh
RSVP for the Training

Join us for a morning of learning and conversation in this workshop introducing architects and builders to ADU design, permitting, and sustainable construction methods enabled by Raleigh’s 2020 ADU reforms.

Continuing Education credits available. Breakfast will be served.

ADU Sustainability Tour
Saturday June 6th • 1:00pm - 5:00pm
RSVP for the Tour

Join CITYBUILDER and our friends from RaleighForward and WakeUP Wake County for our first ADU tour around Raleigh. We’ll visit ADUs in an open-house style, discovering new builds and design practices that were enabled by Raleigh’s 2020 ADU reforms.

Please note: the rain date for the ADU Sustainability Tour and the ADU Professional Training is June 20, 2026.

Summer Film Tour - Durham!
Thursday June 25th • 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Fullsteam Theater American Tobacco Campus • 320 Blackwell St, Durham
RSVP & Tickets

Join us for the premier of our Summer Film Tour!

We’re partnering with Better Cities Film Festival and Southern Urbanism to showcase a selection of short, documentary films highlighting housing and urbanism from across the country. This will be a family-friendly evening, and a great chance to escape the summer heat, sit back, relax, and enjoy thought-provoking and inspiring films. Your $10 ticket to the event includes popcorn. Drinks will be available for purchase.

POLICY TALK: Building Deconstruction not Demolition with Paige Kanipe
Tuesday June 16th • 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Please RSVP for this virtual talk

Did you know - 600 million tons of construction and demolition waste are produced in the US annually? Learn how we can recycle and reuse buildings through deconstruction rather than demolition to reduce waste while providing materials for building to build more sustainably.

Join us to hear more from Paige Kanipe, recent graduate with a Masters of Advanced Architectural Studies from the NC State School of Architecture.

Happy May CITYBUILDERs!

It was a busy April, and and there’s even more in store for May! You can find all the CITYBUILDER events, plus events by local friends and allies at the CITYBUILDER event page!

In April we were excited to join with allies from throughout the housing advocacy spectrum (from direct service providers to elected officials) at the North Carolina Housing Coalition Legislative Lobbying day to speak with our representatives about the importance of funding and supporting housing in North Carolina. It was inspiring to connect with so many people doing this important work.

This past month we had the pleasure of connecting with pro-housing advocates from across the Triangle. We saw our friends from the Sierra Club at RaleighForward and WakeUp Wake County’s earth day event, where one tree-expert panelist stated that density is the most important thing we can work towards if we want to preserve and promote tree canopy.

Last month we held our first Virtual Walkthrough Policy Talk with Steve Wilk at Loft3 in Raleigh. We were excited to showcase their innovative design and building methods used in this housing built with inclusionary zoning. (You can read more about the project here.)

And this past Friday, we were thrilled to host a lunch celebration for the final review of NC State Architecture School’s Single Stair Studio course. Local advocates and elected officials joined us in celebrating the work of these students, whose designs explored what we could build if we were to legalize this innovative yet traditional building form. (Learn more about the benefits of Single Stair reform and how you can support at Single Stair NC).

For May, we are excited to share several events by our friends and allies. The Durham Community Land Trustees are celebrating 50 years this Spring with their Bringing Durham Home Gala event on Saturday May 16th. The DCLT continues to be a vital force in creating permanently affordable homes through the land trust model.

Over in Orange County, the Chapel Hill Community Land Trust also serves to provide affordable homes in a land trust model. You can register for a bus tour of their neighborhoods happening this Thursday May 7th. More information and registration at their website.

Later in May, the Home Builders Associations of Durham, Orange & Chatham Counties are continuing their 2026 Housing Summit Series with an event exploring how development math actually works; Making the Math… Math. This working session is built around a simple premise: public and private sectors are partners in housing, and we get better results when we understand each other. CITYBUILDERs get 50% off their registration with the code CITYBUILDER.

And of course, CITYBUILDER is continuing to host our Policy Talk and Book Club series. At our May CITYBUILDER Book Club, we’ll be discussing A Paradise of Small Houses by urban planner Max Podemski. This book traces the history of the dense, affordable, urban housing that was built in our great cities in the past, and how we could build this way again today to tackle the housing crisis.

For the CITYBUILDER Carolina Policy Talk this month we are thrilled to be joined by Stephanie Watkins-Cruz, Director of Housing Policy at the North Carolina Housing Coalition, Theo Nollert, Chapel Hill Town Councilor and Director of Policy at Carolina Forward, and David Crawford, Executive Vice President of AIA North Carolina to discuss the Legislative Agenda for their orgs during this short session.

If that’s not enough, May is also National Bike Month! The City of Raleigh and Oaks and Spokes each have a robust lineup of events, Durham is hosting their annual Bike Stampede, Cary is hosting Bike Bingo all month, Carrboro is hosting events all month including a Cinco de Mayo ride, Chapel Hill also has a lineup, including a Bike-Themed movie in the park (it’s E.T.) As we published recently, bike advocates must advocate for land use reforms if we want to make a meaningful impact on safety. Read more in the latest VERBATIM piece.

If you haven’t yet come to an event, May is a great time to show up for housing! It’s been great getting to know many of the repeat-attendees. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you again, or for the first time, real soon.

Thanks everyone!

Best,
Charlotte Chapman
Executive Administrator, CITYBUILDER

CALLS TO ACTION

Watch This Space! Rezonings & Legislation will Need Your Support

There are several housing projects throughout the Triangle that may (or may not) end up before Planning Commissions and City Councils in May, plus pro-housing legislation that could end up before the legislature. Continue to subscribe to CITYBUILDER updates, including our weekly CITYBUILDER Brief (paid subscribers only) for updates about when to show up and where.

Be an Early Bird for YIMBYtown 2026!

ICYMI - YIMBYtown 2026 is coming to Raleigh in November! Registration opens this week. Be the first to find out early-bird registration launch, speaker topics, and hotel blocks by signing up for updates at yimby.town

MAY EVENTS WITH CITYBUILDER

CITYBUILDER BOOK CLUB:
A Paradise Of Small Houses: The Evolution, Devolution, and Potential Rebirth of Urban Housing by Max Podemski
with Payton Chung

Thursday May 28th • 12:00pm - 1:00pm
PRESS Coffee, Crêpes & Cocktails • 400 Hillsborough St, Suite 108, Raleigh

Join us for our monthly book club. This month, we’ll be discussing Max Podemski’s A Paradise Of Small Houses: The Evolution, Devolution, and Potential Rebirth of Urban Housing with discussion led by Payton Chung, LEED AP ND.

This book explores the history of diverse, small-scale urban housing types, arguing that reviving typologies such as bungalows and row houses is a practical, human-scale solution to the modern housing affordability crisis.

Our discussion lead, Payton Chung, is a developer and author who writes about the interrelated crafts that build cities: architecture, development, finance, landscape, planning, and transportation. He has written for the Urban Land Institute, Greater Greater Washington, the American Institute of Architects, Streetsblog, and the Congress for the New Urbanism. He is a Cary native and currently working on transit-oriented residential developments in the Triangle region of North Carolina. Payton is also a CITYBUILDER board member and regular contributor.

Reading the book is never required, but always encouraged. Come discuss the themes and enjoy lunch from Press. CITYBUILDER will buy you the (non-alcoholic) beverage of your choice.

CITYBUILDER POLICY TALK: Into to NC’s 2026 Legislative Session with Stephanie Watkins-Cruz, Theo Nollert, and David Crawford

Thursday May 21st • 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Please RSVP for this virtual talk

Join us for our May CITYBUILDER Carolina Policy Talk where we will be joined by three change makers to discuss what’s coming up for housing in the short legislative session this year.

We’ll be joined by Stephanie Watkins-Cruz, Director of Housing Policy at the North Carolina Housing Coalition, Theo Nollert, Chapel Hill Town Councilor and Director of Policy at Carolina Forward, and David Crawford, Executive Vice President of AIA North Carolina to discuss the Legislative Agenda for their orgs during this short session.

Register to join this virtual call where you can learn more.

ALLIED EVENTS

CHAPEL HILL COMMUNITY HOME TRUST: Neighborhood Tour

Thursday May 7th • 3:00 PM
Registration at the Link

Join the Chapel Hill Community Home Trust on a Neighborhood Tour more about the communities where CHT residents live and see some examples of our homes for yourself. The neighborhood tour lasts approximately two hours and starts with coffee and conversation at our office. Space on the bus is limited and registration is required.

DURHAM COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTEES: Bringing Durham Home 50th Anniversary Gala

Saturday May 16th • Registration at the Link

The Durham Community Land Trustees are celebrating 50 years this Spring with their Bringing Durham Home Gala event on Saturday May 16th. The DCLT continues to be a vital force in creating permanently affordable homes through the land trust model.

HBA OF DURHAM AND ORANGE COUNTIES: Housing & Development Summit: Making the Math...Math

Wednesday May 27th • 8:00AM - 12:00PM
Register Now and get 50% off with code CITYBUILDER

The Home Builders Associations of Durham, Orange & Chatham Counties are continuing their 2026 Housing Summit Series with an event exploring how development math actually works; Making the Math… Math.

This working session is built around a simple premise: public and private sectors are partners in housing, and we get better results when we understand each other.

CITYBUILDERs get 50% off their registration with the code CITYBUILDER. More information and registration.

Spring is here, and so are CITYBUILDER events! Don’t mind the wild temperature swings and a coating of yellow covering everything; join us to connect with community and remember why long-time residents and newcomers alike delight in calling the Triangle home.

As always, events produced by CITYBUILDER, as well as events by our friends, allies, and other fun activities are listed on our CITYBUILDER Events Page.

CITYBUILDER is continuing our events with another Policy Talk and Book Club for April. Join us on April 13th for our in-person monthly Book Club at Press Cafe in Downtown Raleigh, where we’ll have an informal conversation about this month’s book, Home: A Short History of an Idea by Witold Rybczynski led by Nicholas Chrapliwy, Executive Director of The Rhizome Institute in Durham.

For our April Policy Talk we’re charting new territory, leading a virtual walk-through of the new Loft3 21-unit condo project in Downtown Raleigh on April 23rd. We’ll be broadcasting live from the construction site. As always, our Book Club and Policy Talk are free and open (with RSVP).

On April 7th, be sure to join the Urban Land Institute for their Lunch Event, Addressing our Housing Crisis featuring CITYBUILDER’s own Jenn Truman. And in Late April, watch out for NC Housing Day, hosted by our friends at Habitat for Humanity NC, the NC Housing Coalition, the NC Community Land Trust Coalition, and the NC Coalition to End Homelessness. Housing Day is April 28th and 29th; registration ends on April 3rd.

We’re excited to explore some local Earth Day Celebrations across the Triangle. From Raleigh’s Family and Eco-friendly Festival in Dix Park, to Durham’s Earth Day Festival in Durham Central Park, to Carrboro Day and Cary’s Spring Daze, we can’t wait to get out and enjoy our urban environment together. More information on all of these below.

We’re so glad you’re building this pro-housing movement with us. Thanks for helping us grow together as we work toward more connected, welcoming communities for all. Can’t wait to see you out there!

Best,
Charlotte Chapman | Executive Administrator | CITYBUILDER

CALLS TO ACTION

Re-zonings & Legislation will Need Your Support in April!

There are several housing projects throughout the Triangle that may (or may not) end up before Planning Commissions and City Councils in April, plus pro-housing legislation that could come before the legislature. Continue to subscribe to CITYBUILDER updates, including our weekly CITYBUILDER Brief (paid subscribers only) for alerts about when to show up and where.

Sign up for YIMBYtown Raleigh Updates!

In case you missed it, YIMBYtown 2026 is coming to Raleigh in November! Be the first to find out about early-bird registration, speaker topics, and hotel blocks by signing up for updates at yimby.town

MARCH EVENTS WITH CITYBUILDER

BOOK CLUB

Home: A Short History of an Idea, by Witold Rybczynski with Nicholas Chrapliwy

Monday April 13th • 12:00pm - 1:00pm
PRESS Coffee, Crêpes & Cocktails • 400 Hillsborough St, Suite 108, Raleigh

Join us for our monthly book club. This month, we’ll be exploring Wiltold Rybczynki’s Home: A Short History of an Idea with discussion lead by Nicholas Chrapliwy of the Rhizome Institute.

This book is a highly readable cultural and architectural history that traces how the concept of “home” has evolved throughout time. From medieval, work-centered dwellings to the private, comfort-oriented spaces we recognize today, housing has been shaped by changes in technology, social norms, and the rise of the middle class. What makes this book especially relevant to today’s pro-housing movement is its core argument that housing is not just about shelter or efficiency, but about dignity and the lived experience of residents.

Reading the book is never required, but always encouraged. Come discuss the themes and enjoy lunch from Press. CITYBUILDER will buy you a (non-alcoholic) beverage of your choice.

POLICY TALK

Inclusionary Zoning at Loft3 - a Virtual Walk-Through with Steven Wilke

Thursday April 23rd • 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Please RSVP for this virtual talk

Join us for our first live virtual walkthrough! Loft3 in Raleigh is delivering attainable housing in a desirable location. We’ll hear from Steven Wilke about how they accomplished this feat. As always, you’re welcome to be camera-off and come for the information, but your questions and comments are welcome!

MARCH EVENTS WITH FRIENDS - EARTH DAY EDITION!

DURHAM EARTH DAY FESTIVAL

Sunday, April 19 • 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Durham Central Park • 501 Foster Street, Durham

Join Durham in celebrating Earth Day 2026 as we unite to honor and protect the planet. This year’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” highlights the incredible potential everyone has to drive positive change for the environment. From individuals to communities, and businesses to governments, we all hold the power to create a sustainable future.

More information here.

CARRBORO DAY 2026

Sunday April 19 • 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Carrboro Town Commons & Weaver Street Market • 301 West Main Street & 101 East Weaver St, Carrboro

Celebrate sustainability and Carrboro with an event that brings people together for an afternoon of eco-friendly activities and outdoor fun. Enjoy car-free streets transformed into vibrant spaces for cycling, walking, and exploring green initiatives, all while learning how we can protect our planet. Moving forward, Carrboro Day and Earth Day will be celebrated together as one event.

More information here.

RALEIGH EARTH DAY

Friday April 24 • 5:00PM - 10:00PM
Harvey Hill at Dix Park • Cranmer Dr, Raleigh

Join the City of Raleigh for the 5th annual Raleigh Earth Day. This milestone event brings together community members, local organizations, and city departments for an evening dedicated to environmental stewardship, sustainability, and connection — all in one of Raleigh’s most beautiful public spaces.

More information here.

CARY SPRING DAZE ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL

Saturday April 25 • 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Bond Park • 801 High House Rd, Cary

There’s no better way to celebrate Spring than at Cary’s Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival! Come spend the day at beautiful Bond Park exploring one-of-a-kind art from 170+ local NC artists. Enjoy live music and performances, grab tasty bites, and get hands-on with fun activities for all ages.

More information here.

ALLIED EVENTS

ULI TRIANGLE: Addressing our Housing Crisis Lunch Event

Tuesday April 7th • 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Smoky Hollow • 421 N Harrington Street, Raleigh

Join ULI Triangle for a focused conversation on the urgent need for more attainable and equitable housing. This event will explore zoning reform, innovative financing tools, and effective housing advocacy strategies. Come ready to learn, engage, and collaborate on real solutions for our region’s housing future.

Featuring our founder, Jenn Truman. More information and registration here.

2026 NC HOUSING DAY

April 28th - 29th • 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
REGISTER NOW! • Registration closes April 3

Register now for NC Housing Day 2026 on April 28-29 in Raleigh! On April 29, we’ll meet with our state legislators in Raleigh and tell them that affordable housing is important for North Carolina, and the state has a vital role to play in its provision. There are also opportunities for training and networking on April 28. NC Housing Day is hosted by Habitat for Humanity NC, the NC Housing Coalition, the NC Community Land Trust Coalition, and the NC Coalition to End Homelessness.

RALEIGH STRONG TOWNS MONTHLY MEETUP & YES! IN MY TRIANGLE RALEIGH MEET-UP COMBINED MEETING

Tuesday March 17th • 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Weaver Street Market • 404 W Hargett St, Raleigh

Join local neighbors, advocates, and citybuilders for the monthly Raleigh Strong Towns meetup AND monthly Yes! In My Triangle meetup. This will be a combined-group meeting. All are welcome to come listen, share ideas, and connect with others working toward a stronger Raleigh.

Hosted by Strong Town Raleigh & Yes! In My Triangle

YES! IN MY TRIANGLE MEETUP IN DURHAM

Thursday April 9th • 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Parts & Labor • 723 Rigsbee Ave, Durham

This local YIMBY Action chapter gives voice to residents who believe the Triangle should grow inclusively, sustainably, and affordably. In a region facing skyrocketing housing costs and rapid growth, YES! In My Triangle pushes for zoning reform, abundant housing, and walkable communities.

YES! In My Triangle’s advocacy counters NIMBY resistance and brings much-needed urgency to local housing debates. Simply put, they’re fighting for a Triangle where more people can afford to live, work, and flourish.

This event is hosted by Yes! In My Triangle, a Raleigh-Durham Chapter of the National YIMBY Action Network.

More info for the Durham Meetup and RSVP through YIMBY Action.

SEE YOU AROUND TOWN!

At our book club on March 25th, we’ll be exploring The Upswing by Robert D. Putnam. This work explains how the United States moved from the individualistic, unequal Gilded Age to a more cooperative and community-minded “We” society in the early twentieth century, only to swing back toward inequality and polarization beginning in the 1960s. Blending data and storytelling, Putnam argues that because Americans have reversed such decline before, we can draw lessons from that earlier era to rebuild a stronger, more unified nation today.

This month’s book club will be led by Nick Neptune, an artist, educator, civic entrepreneur, and community advocate based in Raleigh. Haven’t read the book? No problem! NPR has a great summary; we’d still love for you to contribute to our conversation!

Join CITYBUILDER Book Club

📘 The Upswing by Robert D. Putnam
📅 Wed Mar 25th 12:00pm - 1:00pm
📍 PRESS Coffee Crêpes Cocktails
400 Hillsborough St suite 108, Raleigh, NC 27603, USA
👉 RSVP here

Come for the ideas. Stay for the people who want to build a Triangle where everyone has a place to live. We’ll see you there.

Despite recent winter storms, the first signs of spring are beginning to show throughout the Triangle. Beyond March Madness, this month is a great time to connect with the CITYBUILDER community.

We’ve got some amazing events planned, including our Policy Talk focused on Raleigh’s Small Lot Code, and our Book Club on Robert Putnim’s The Upswing, which will be hosted by Nick Neptune. More information on these and other events below!

But first, be sure you mark your calendar and make a plan to vote on Primary Election Day: Tuesday March 3rd. Specific races vary across the Triangle, but there’s something important to vote on in every city and town in the region. With our focus on housing, CITYBUILDER has again prepared Candidate Report Cards highlighting pro-housing candidates in Raleigh, Wake County, and Orange County. The turnout for these elections is historically low, which means your vote goes even further.

Thank you for continuing to support local housing with us. We are grateful to you for helping to build this movement, so that we can continue to build our cities together, and create community for all.

We’ll see you out there!

Best,
Charlotte Chapman
Executive Administrator
CITYBUILDER

CALL TO ACTION

PRIMARY ELECTION DAY: Tuesday March 3rd

Find your Voter Registration Information and Polling Place at the North Carolina State Board of Elections Website

Be sure to vote in this important Primary election. Make a plan, and take a friend. Wondering who to vote for? Check out CITYBUILDER’s Report Cards for candidates in Raleigh, Wake County, and Orange Counties.

CALLING ALL RALEIGH ADUs! Apply for the ADU Tour

Submit your completed or substantially completed Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to be featured in the 2026 ADU Sustainability Tour! CITYBUILDER, WakeUP Wake County, and RaleighForward are hosting this citywide tour highlighting well-designed, energy-efficient small homes built after Raleigh’s 2020 text change.

The tour will take place Saturday, June 6, 2026 (rain date June 20) and will feature a range of ADU types, including detached, attached, garage conversions, and internal units, with selected participants receiving promotion, logistics support, inclusion in tour materials, and recognition as local leaders in small-scale housing innovation.

Applications, including photos and a brief project description, are due by March 10, 2026.

MARCH EVENTS WITH CITYBUILDER

CITYBUILDER POLICY TALK: Raleigh’s Need for a Small Lot Code with Evan Bost of Bost Custom Homes

Tuesday March 17th • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Please RSVP for this virtual talk

We believe small homes on small lots can help to solve housing demand pressures, but how can we build this way when the rules aren’t made for it? Join Raleigh builder Evan Bost to hear more about how Raleigh could alleviate demand through the creation of a Small Lot Code. This casual lunch-and-learn style virtual event is open to all. Please RSVP to attend.

CITYBUILDER BOOK CLUB: The Upswing with Nick Neptune

Wednesday March 25th • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
PRESS Coffee, Crêpes & Cocktails • 400 Hillsborough St, Suite 108, Raleigh

Join us for our monthly book club. This month, we’ll be discussing Robert Putnam’s The Upswing: How we came together a century ago and how we can do it again.

This book explains how the United States moved from the individualistic, unequal Gilded Age to a more cooperative and community-minded “We” society in the early twentieth century, only to swing back toward inequality and polarization beginning in the 1960s. Blending data and storytelling, Putnam argues that because Americans have reversed such decline before, we can draw lessons from that earlier era to rebuild a stronger, more unified nation today.

Reading the book is never required, but always encouraged. Come discuss the themes and enjoy lunch from Press. CITYBUILDER will buy you the (non-alcoholic) beverage of your choice.

MARCH EVENTS WITH FRIENDS

COMMUNITY HOME TRUST Neighborhood Tour

Saturday March 7th • 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
APPLY to join

Learn more about the communities where CHT residents live and see some examples of our homes for yourself. The neighborhood tour lasts approximately two hours and starts with coffee and conversation at our office. Space on the bus is limited and registration is required.

ALLIED EVENTS

RALEIGH STRONG TOWNS MONTHLY MEETUP

Tuesday March 17th • 6:30pm - 7:30pm (directly before Yes! In My Triangle)
Weaver Street Market • 404 W Hargett St, Raleigh

Join local neighbors, advocates, and citybuilders for the monthly Raleigh Strong Towns meetup! This casual gathering is a great place to talk about building stronger, more resilient communities: from housing choices and safe streets to local fiscal responsibility. All are welcome to come listen, share ideas, and connect with others working toward a stronger Raleigh.

Hosted by Strong Town Raleigh

YES! IN MY TRIANGLE MEETUPS IN DURHAM & RALEIGH

IN RALEIGH

Tuesday March 17th • 7:30pm - 8:30pm (directly following StrongTowns)
Morgan Street Food Hall • 411 W Morgan St, Raleigh
More info for the Raleigh Meetup and RSVP through YIMBY Action.

IN DURHAM

Thursday March 12th • 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Parts & Labor • 723 Rigsbee Ave, Durham
More info for the Durham Meetup and RSVP through YIMBY Action.

The local YIMBY Action chapter gives voice to residents who believe the Triangle should grow inclusively, sustainably, and affordably. In a region facing skyrocketing housing costs and rapid growth, the group pushes for zoning reform, abundant housing, and walkable communities.

Here advocacy counters NIMBY resistance and brings much-needed urgency to local housing debates. Simply put, they’re fighting for a Triangle where more people can afford to live, work, and flourish.

LOOKING AHEAD

Coming up in April:

ULI TRIANGLE: Addressing our Housing Crisis Lunch Event

Tuesday April 7th • 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Smoky Hollow • 421 N Harrington Street, Raleigh

Join ULI Triangle for a focused conversation on the urgent need for more attainable and equitable housing. This event will explore zoning reform, innovative financing tools, and effective housing advocacy strategies. Come ready to learn, engage, and collaborate on real solutions for our region’s housing future.

Featuring our founder, Jenn Truman. More information and registration at the link.

As we thaw out from last week’s ice, and find ourselves once again facing a wintery scene, we are heartened to look ahead to a month full of opportunities to connect and build this community together.

While weather disruptions have recently impacted business as usual, still there’s been a lot happening lately throughout the Triangle, and we’re looking forward to a full and productive February.

ICYMI, Durham has released the the final draft of the new Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Land Development Code (LDC). In February, we’re excited to be hosting several opportunities to review and support changes to the new code. See more information below, and check out our full calendar of events here.

Meanwhile, the 2026 election season is off and running in local municipalities throughout the Triangle ahead of Primary election day on March 3rd (early voting February 12th - 18th). During election season, CITYBUILDER will again be evaluating candidates and sharing our reviews on who deserves your pro-housing vote.

Please check out a few more of upcomming events we’re excited about below, and as always, you can see our full calendar here.

Thank you for building together with us. We hope to see you out there.

Best,
Charlotte Chapman
Executive Administrator, CITYBUILDER

FEBRUARY EVENTS WITH CITYBUILDER

KICK-THE-TIRES WORKSHOP #3: Final Draft Review of Durham’s Land Development Code (LDC)

Tuesday February 3rd • 12:00pm - 2:00pm
More Info and RSVP at the Link

The third in our Kick-the-Tires series, we'll use this lunch to test real projects working with the new rules. We'll review the latest changes to the ordinance and brainstorm what still needs to change.

Please RSVP.

POLICY TALK: Final Draft Review of Durham’s Land Development Code (LDC)

Tuesday February 17th • 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Virtual • RSVP for Link

Join to learn what’s in the final draft of Durham’s UDO Re-Write, now called the Land Development Code (LDC), and how it will impact building and development in Durham.

We’ll be hearing from local builders and advocates about what’s in the plan, and we’ll be discussing what this new code gets right, and what needs to be tweaked. RSVP at the Link.

BOOK CLUB: Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, with Hannah Moell

Wednesday February 25th • 12:00pm - 1:00pm
PRESS Coffee Crêpes Cocktails • 400 Hillsborough St, Raleigh

We’re excited to be discussing Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson in our February book club. Much was said about this book in 2025, but how can its framework be applied to the Triangle?

This book challenges scarcity-driven thinking and explores how outdated policies, political barriers, and risk-averse systems constrain growth, making it harder to deliver affordable homes, transit, and climate solutions. For a region growing as fast as the Triangle, Abundance provides practical, optimistic ideas for building better, for everyone.

Our February conversation will be led by Hannah Moell, a Raleigh native, local artist, and pro-housing advocate. Hannah works in Business Development and Market Research at BSB Design, currently serves on the Board of Directors for CITYBUILDER.

Reading the book is encouraged but never required for our informal lunchtime conversation. Attendees are welcome to purchase lunch, and CITYBUILDER will buy your (non-alcoholic) beverage of choice.

Please RSVP at the Link.

FEBRUARY EVENTS WITH FRIENDS

HAPPY HOUR with WakeUp Wake County, RaleighForward, & CITYBUILDER

Thursday February 5th • 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Bottle Rev 3 • 7713 Lead Mine Rd #47, Raleigh

Join CITYBUILDER and our friends from RaleighForward, and WakeUp Wake County for Happy Hour!

Thursday, February 5th at 5:30PM at Bottle Rev 3 (7713 Lead Mine Rd #47) in Raleigh to meet with other community advocates interested in helping shape Raleigh’s future. We hope to see you there!

PRE-HEARING MEETUP

Tuesday February 24 • 4:30pm – 5:30pm
The Velvet Hippo • 119 Orange Street, 3rd floor

Join CITYBUILDER with Yes! In My Triangle to meet up at the Velvet Hippo before we head over together to the City of Durham - New LDC Planning Commission Public Hearing.

Please RSVP at the link. We look forward to seeing you there!

ALLIED EVENTS

RALEIGH STRONG TOWNS MONTHLY MEETUP

Tuesday February 17th • 6:30pm - 7:30pm (directly before Yes! In My Triangle)
Weaver Street Market • 404 W Hargett St, Raleigh

Join local neighbors, advocates, and citybuilders for the monthly Raleigh Strong Towns meetup! This casual gathering is a great place to talk about building stronger, more resilient communities — from housing choices and safe streets to local fiscal responsibility.

All are welcome to come listen, share ideas, and connect with others working toward a stronger Raleigh.

Hosted by Strong Town Raleigh

YES! IN MY TRIANGLE YIMBY MEETUPS IN DURHAM & RALEIGH

IN RALEIGH

Tuesday February 17th • 7:30pm - 8:30pm (directly following StrongTowns)
Morgan Street Food Hall • 411 W Morgan St, Raleigh
More info for the Raleigh Meetup and RSVP through the YIMBY Action.

IN DURHAM

Thursday February 12th • 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Parts & Labor • 723 Rigsbee Ave, Durham
More info for the Durham Meetup and RSVP through the YIMBY Action.

The local YIMBY Action chapter gives voice to residents who believe the Triangle should grow inclusively, sustainably, and affordably. In a region facing skyrocketing housing costs and rapid growth, the group pushes for zoning reform, abundant housing, and walkable communities.

Here advocacy counters NIMBY resistance and brings much-needed urgency to local housing debates. Simply put, they’re fighting for a Triangle where more people can afford to live, work, and flourish.

Building for People: Designing Livable, Affordable, Low-Carbon Communities by Micheal Eliason arrives at a moment when the U.S. housing conversation is finally getting more specific. We are no longer just asking how much housing we need, but what kind and why the rules we rely on so often prevent us from building places people actually want to live in.

Eliason makes the argument that our housing outcomes are not the result of market failure or lack of innovation. They are the predictable product of a small number of regulatory choices that shape building form early and decisively. Once those choices are made, affordability, livability, and environmental impact are largely locked in.

At the center of Building for People is the idea that form matters more than we admit. Eliason shows how mid-rise, human-scale buildings, often four to six stories, deliver better outcomes than both suburban sprawl and high-rise towers. These buildings are dense without being overwhelming, compact without being cramped, and capable of supporting real neighborhood life.

The example he focuses on is the point access block, also known as the single stair building, a building type common across much of Europe but rare in the US and not-permitted in North Carolina. Because point access buildings use a single staircase to serve a small number of units per floor, they enable better floor plans, more daylight, cross-ventilation, and a higher share of family-sized homes. They are simpler to build, cheaper per unit, and inherently lower carbon due to shared walls and reduced surface area.

In the US, these buildings are often illegal by default. Eliason is clear that this is not because they are unsafe or untested, but because our codes reflect outdated assumptions rather than modern life-safety systems like sprinklers, alarms, and fire-rated assemblies. The result is housing that skews toward studios and one-bedrooms, deep floor plates, long corridors, and higher costs; outcomes that feel inevitable but are, in fact, designed.

Throughout the book, Eliason connects these building-scale decisions to larger goals. He argues that we cannot meaningfully address housing affordability, climate change, and public health separately. Car-light neighborhoods, compact blocks, and socially oriented buildings reduce emissions, lower household costs, and create places where daily life is healthier and more connected. As he puts it in one interview, this is about creating places where people aren’t “eating exhaust with their beer.”

Some of the book’s central ideas include:

• Why mid-rise point access buildings are a missing link in U.S. housing

• How affordability is determined at the form and layout stage, not through finishes

• The role of car-light planning in improving both cost and quality of life

• How family-friendly housing and climate goals can reinforce each other

What makes Building for People especially compelling is that it is neither nostalgic nor utopian. The examples Eliason draws from are real, built, and functioning today. The reforms he points to are already underway in parts of the U.S., as states and cities revisit single-stair rules and missing-middle housing more broadly.

For places like North Carolina that are growing quickly but struggling to produce housing between single-family subdivisions and large apartment complexes, these ideas are particularly relevant. The book helps explain why the “missing middle” has been so hard to deliver, and what it would take to change that.

If you’re interested in housing reform, single-stair policy, or simply building better places, this book is worth your time. We hope you’ll read along with us and join the discussion at the CITYBUILDER Book Club.

Join CITYBUILDER Book Club

📘 Building for People by Micheal Eliason
📅 Wed Jan 28th 12:00pm - 1:00pm
📍 PRESS Coffee Crêpes Cocktails
400 Hillsborough St suite 108, Raleigh, NC 27603, USA
👉 RSVP here

Come for the ideas. Stay for the people who want to build a Triangle where everyone has a place to live. We’ll see you there.

As we reflect on 2025, our hearts are full of gratitude for the community that you’ve helped us create. We’re coming off a huge year; 2025 was full of wins, from pro-housing candidates that won elections throughout the region, to the conversations we’re having everyday to change hearts and minds. With your support, we’ve advocated for growth, affordability, and new neighbors around the Triangle.

When we launched in earnest in January 2025, we were hopeful and ready to work hard to gain trust and respect as a new organization. Through your support, we’re ecstatic to have over 8,500 followers across all platforms. Thank you for being on this journey with us.

And we’re just getting started. Looking ahead to 2026, we’re planning more opportunities to learn, engage, and advocate for housing in our communities.

But that’s not all…

We’re thrilled to share that CITYBUILDER has been selected to host the 2026 National YIMBYtown…

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Don’t forget to vote this Tuesday, November 4th. If you haven’t already voted early, be sure to take time this Tuesday in your local municipal election. To help you factor in housing when you decide who to vote for, CITYBUILDER has compiled report cards for candidates throughout the Triangle. If housing matters to you, please be sure to vote.

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In Escaping the Housing Trap, urbanists Charles Marohn and Daniel Herriges argue that America’s housing crisis stems from a fundamental conflict: housing as a speculative investment, where prices must perpetually rise to fuel financial systems, versus housing as essential shelter, where escalating costs trap families in distress and stifle community resilience.

Drawing on Strong Towns principles, the authors propose that post-WWII zoning, subsidies, and top-down financial pressures have supplanted the organic, incremental growth that once built resilient American cities — replacing diverse, adaptive neighborhoods with fragile, debt-fueled sprawl.

Keeping the discussion solution-oriented, I would like to focus on the book’s urgent call to “unleash the swarm” of incremental developers: a decentralized network of small-scale builders, rehabbers, and entrepreneurs who operate independently toward a collective goal. Th…

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TLDR: Mark your calendars! Tuesday October 14th CITYBUILDER will be hosting Durham Election Candidate Forum focused on Housing at Motorco from 7-9PM.

With local elections afoot, housing and development issues are front and center, and your participation matters. In case you missed it, our Candidate Report Cards on Housing in Durham are out. And stay tuned - our report cards for other races in the Triangle are coming soon. You can see all of the latest CITYBUILDER Election 2025 coverage here.

We’ve also been continuing our coverage of housing and urbanism across the triangle, with articles on biking and density, the unintended effects of NIMBYism, and how baseball contributes to great places.

October in the Triangle brings elections, advocacy, and plenty of ways to come together as neighbors. Don’t miss the CITYBUILDER Events Calendar for updates and mo…

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We all know the challenges facing our current development systems: fragmented communities, housing scarcity, and car-dependent growth. The problems are complex, but the solutions can be simple. This month, CITYBUILDER is diving into one set of solutions, The Charter of the New Urbanism. We’ll discuss this foundational text over lunch in Raleigh on Wednesday, September 24th (RSVP here for details).

History of The Charter

In the mid-1990s, a group of architects, planners, and developers formed the Congress for the New Urbanism to challenge the negative impacts of urban sprawl.

Adopted in 1996, their Charter articulates remedies to the low-density, car-dependent development that became widespread after World War II. To combat these postwar deficiencies, the Charter preaches principles for creating walkable, mixed-use, human-scaled communities — principles tha…

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We’ve been working hard planning our fall season full of opportunities to learn and connect. We hope you can join our upcoming events, and check out events by our allies, as well as opportunities for advocacy. Thank you to everyone who has come out so far. We are thrilled to watch this community continue to grow!

We’re excited to focus our attention this fall on municipal elections taking place across the Triangle. In case you missed it, Jenn Truman wrote a piece outlining every candidate in every local election, to keep you up to speed.

This year’s election in Durham especially highlights the importance of housing and development policy and practice in local government. We’ll be giving extra attention to this Bull City election, and continuing our focus on Durham’s ongoing Unified Development Ordinance re-write.

Looking ahead, on Tuesday October 14th CITYBUILDER will be hosting Durham Election Candidate Forum focused on Housing at Motorco from 7-9PM. Mark your calendars!

Don’t miss the C…

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Why it matters to NC today

The Power Broker is very much a monument of a prior era of urban planning, but it reveals timeless patterns of how politics and policy intersect to make infrastructure decisions that shape communities. Grand new parks in central Raleigh and Cary are a testament to the placemaking power of parks, something that Moses understood early in his career.

We might think that the Moses era of unbridled, toll-funded highway expansion is a relic of the mid-20th century -- yet at this very moment there are still bulldozers chopping away at trees between Garner and Knightdale to extend the Outer Loop and cement (as Mo…

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The next time you're at the park, take a closer look. Not just at the giggles and games, but at the civic life kids are modeling.

• How do they share space?

• Who leads and who listens?

• How do they make space for the younger ones?

• How are ideas negotiated and new games invented?

• What kind of world are they imagining?

• And who gets included?

This is the stuff of good urbanism.

We often talk about how to raise kids to become active citizens, but the truth is they already are. Kids are practicing the skills of community building every day. They’re testing fairness, cooperation, negotiation, and creativity in real time. They build small systems of care and joy faster than most policy processes ever could.

When two kids want the same toy, they find ways to work it out, sometimes on their own, sometimes with a little help. That’s conflict resolution, just like neighbors navigating tough conversations about zoning or housing at a town hall.

When a group of kids decides who will be…

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It’s been six months since I began my time with CITYBUILDER — so much has happened since then! Attendance at our events continues to grow, and it has been such a pleasure connecting with so many of you in person. We are still piloting our new calendar page so please be sure to check that out and plan to attend an upcoming event!

As I mentioned last time, our followers continue to grow across platforms. In the last 30 days, we’ve had more than 100 new paid subscribers to our substack. This small contibution makes a BIG difference for our operatoins. So, if you haven’t already joined as a paid subscriber, please become a member today! And to those of you who are already making a financial contribution, thank you!

We thank you all for your continued support and are excited to connect with you at an event in June.

Charlotte…

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Spring has sprung and we’re excited for several great events this month hosted by CITYBUILDER and ally organizations. Scroll down to read more, or be sure to check out and subscribed to our brand new calendar page for more information about what’s in store!

In addition, I’m thrilled to share that CITYBUILDER has surpassed 4,000 followers across our social media platforms! Momentum is building and we are so grateful for all of you who have been supporting us so far. If you aren’t already a paid subscriber, for less than $10 a month you can become a member and gain full access to our content and events, and support our work at CITYBUILDER. Members like you allow our movement to continue to grow. Become a member today!

And thanks to everyone who joined us in April for some fun and meaningful ga…

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April is packed with exciting events, and we’re looking forward to sharing what’s coming up. Before we dive into the details, we’re excited to share that CITYBUILDER is closing in on 3,000 subscribers.

Thanks to supporters like you, our movement continues to grow!

To celebrate the strength and vibrancy of our growing community, we’re doubling our publishing schedule. Starting this Thursday, CITYBUILDER will be bring you insightful content 2x a week. We're kicking things off with the launch of The Big Picture, a monthly series by urbanist planner , where he explores the deeper meaning behind a single image, chart, or map and what it reveals about our home. Stay tuned!

We've packed April with fantastic events you won't want to miss - see our full schedule below.

These events are a chance to connect with like-minded neighbors, dive into critical policy conversations, and build a stronger North Carolina together. Be sure to mark your calendar …

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Charlotte Chapman | Executive Administrator | CITYBUILDER

Follow CITYBUILDER on Instagram, Facebook, X, Threads, Bluesky, & LinkedIn

March Book Club Announcement!

This month we are reading: Golden Gates: Fighting for Housing in America by Conor Dougherty—Be sure to grab a copy and start reading! Scroll down for information about our meet up to discuss at the end of the month. This title is also available in audiobook form (including for free with a trial of audible.com)

Raleigh Happy Hour

Thursday, March 13 | 5 - 7 PM (Rescheduled Due to Snow)
The Moon Room, Raleigh | 500 N West St Suite 150

Join us as we partner with RaleighForward and WakeUP Wake County to connect and converse with other passionate community members. Family and friends are welcome!

RSVP for Raleigh Happy Hour here

The Danger and Opportunities of Raleigh’s “Missing Middle” Lawsuit (Virtual)

Tuesday, March 18 | 12 PM

RSVP Below - Become a Member to find out more!

This month, CITYBUILDER board member, attorney, and founder of RaleighForward, Eric Braun, will speak on The Danger and Opportunities of Raleigh’s “Missing Middle” Lawsuit Don’t miss this insightful discussion!

CITYBUILDER Book Club

Thursday, March 27 | 12 PM

RSVP and Location Info Below - Become a Member to find out more!

We'll be discussing: Golden Gates: Fighting for Housing in America by Conor Dougherty

This discussion will be led by CITYBUILDER board member Payton Chung. Be sure to grab a copy and start reading! This title is also available in audiobook form (including for free with a trial of audible.com)

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