April Events for Citybuilders
Join us for insightful conversation over four events this month
Hi! it’s Charlotte, Executive Administrator of
.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 and invite a friend. Our movement grows stronger when more people join the conversation. These efforts, from events to expanded content, are possible because of the support we receive from our subscribers.
Paid subscribers are a vital part of our community
AND gain access to our exclusive Book Club and Carolina Policy Talks.
We thank you for your support and can’t wait to see you next month!
Charlotte Chapman | Executive Administrator | CITYBUILDER
APRIL EVENTS
FILM SCREENING & DISCUSSION
Fault Lines: Inside the Housing Crisis
Thursday, April 3, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
at the Raleigh Housing Authority Community Center
Fault Lines takes a street-level approach to the intersecting issues of housing affordability, homelessness, and local laws, using human stories to illuminate the impact of decades of policies that are now choking the Bay Area – and threatening to become a national emergency. Watch the the trailer here.
This exclusive screening of the new documentary film Fault Lines: Inside America’s Housing Crisis at the Community Room of the Raleigh Housing Authority, followed by a structured discussion. This program is free and open to the public. Register and find more information here. Thursday, April 3, 6:00 – 8:00 PM at the Raleigh Housing Authority Community Center. Hosted in partnership with WakeUP Wake County, RaleighForward, and CITYBUILDER.
[Ally Event] NC STATE ARCHITECTURE LECTURE: DONGWHAN MOON By NC State School of Architecture
Monday, April 7, 2025 6 pm to 7:30 pm
at the Kamphoefner Hall, Burns Auditorium
Please join the College of Design for the spring 2025 architecture lecture series. This event is Free and Open to the Public.
Donghwan Moon, AIA, is an architect, urbanist, and educator leading the multidisciplinary design practice MMKPLUS, which focuses on creating socially responsible, timeless spaces through research on architecture, landscape, and infrastructure. His global portfolio includes city master plans, mixed-use developments, cultural buildings, and public parks, earning awards such as the Public Architecture Award of Korea and the IFLA Landscape Architecture Award. As the director of Mtree, a nonprofit design group, he engages in public interest design for marginalized communities, utilizing innovative technologies to foster equitable, sustainable environments. Moon is also an Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University College of Design, previously teaching at the New York Institute of Technology and serving as a design critic at universities in the US and South Korea. He holds a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from Harvard GSD and a Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University.
[Ally Event] BUILDING MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING FOR THE TRIANGLE at DUKE
Tuesday, April 8 at 6:30 pm on Duke East Campus (Old Chemistry 003)
Join The Duke Initiative for Urban Studies, Our Urban Future, and CITYBUILDER for a discussion on building missing middle housing for the Triangle with local developer Bob Chapman. Bob is the founder and managing director of Traditional Neighborhood Development Partners, which develops walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods. He is also the founder of TND Capital Management, LLC, which acquires/redevelops downtown properties. He served on the Board of Directors for the Congress for the New Urbanism and was founding chair of the North Carolina Smart Growth Alliance and of the National Town Builder's Association. He will discuss strategies for implementing New Urbanist principles to build missing middle housing, create vibrant communities, and promote housing affordability. This event is intended for Duke Students, Faculty, Staff, and Community Members. RSVP Here.
[Allied Event] The Abundance Agenda with Derek Thompson, Mayor Janet Cowell, and Mayor Leo Williams
Thursday, April 10⋅6:30 – 8:00pm at the Hayti Heritage Center
Join the Carolina Forward Foundation for a panel discussion with Atlantic writer Derek Thompson, Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell, and Durham Mayor Leo Williams facilitated by Carolina Forward's founder Blair Reeves. They'll discuss what an 'abundance agenda' could look like in terms of housing, the economy, and government functions in the triangle, across NC, and in the US.
Derek Thompson's newest book 'Abundance' with co-author Ezra Klein will be available at the event. RSVP Here
CAROLINA POLICY TALK — Fixing SB 382
Tuesday, April 15 at 12 pm - Virtual
Join Us for an essential look at downzoning and how it is shaping North Carolina’s future. Land use is a balancing act—protecting private property rights while ensuring communities can grow in an orderly way. Developers need clarity to plan, and planners need certainty to guide responsible expansion. But the legal definition of "downzoning" remains unclear, creating gridlock for cities, towns, and builders alike.
will present where SB382 legislation is, the efforts to overturn and solidify it, and what CITYBUILDER thinks should happen to fix the gridlock. We’ll see you for a virtual lunch hour talk on Tuesday, April 15 at 12 pm. (Paid subscriber Exclusive! - Please RSVP Here to Attend)YES! IN MY TRIANGLE
Thursday, April 17th from 6:30 - 8:00 PM
in Raleigh at the Transfer Co. Food Hall
The local YIMBY Action chapter gives voice to residents who believe Raleigh-Durham 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.
Join these local advocates on Thursday, April 17th, from 6:30 - 8:00 PM in Raleigh at the Transfer Co. Food Hall. RSVP with the YIMBY Action Network.
CITYBUILDER BOOK CLUB – The Not So Big House
Wednesday, April 23 at 12pm
in Raleigh at Press Coffee, 400 Hillsborough St.
20 years ago, Raleigh resident Sarah Susanka revolutionized home design with her bestseller The Not So Big House. The book matters for North Carolina because it offers a vision of housing that values quality over square footage—something deeply relevant as the state grapples with affordability and sprawl. Her ideas champion thoughtful design, human-scale living, and homes that fit how people actually live today. In a state where the “starter home” has all but vanished, Susanka’s work reminds us that smaller, smarter housing isn’t just practical—it’s desirable. It’s a blueprint for rebuilding beautiful, affordable homes.
Designer/Builder
leads a discussion on Wednesday, April 23, at Press Coffee. (Paid Subscriber Exclusive! Please RSVP Here to Attend)Paid subscribers are a vital part of our community
AND gain access to our exclusive Book Club and Carolina Policy Talks.
We thank you for your support and can’t wait to see you next month!