Hello! My name is Andy Lowe. I’m a Durham resident, Chapter lead for the Raleigh-Durham New Liberals, and regular character at Durham City Hall. I’m also a devout YIMBY, pro-housing citizen, and lover of all things missing middle. I’m excited to help lead the upcoming CITYBUILDER training on how to speak in support of housing at city council meetings!
Here’s my advice for how YOU can get started speaking up, as well as how I began my own pro-housing advocacy.
How I got started
I moved to Durham in 2021 because my employer told me to. At the time, I didn’t realize just how lucky I had gotten! Durham is awesome, and my now-wife and I quickly fell in love with the Bull City! In June 2025, I decided that I wanted to be involved in local politics, and so I attended my first Durham City Council meeting.
At first I just observed. YouTube makes most council meetings convenient to watch, but it’s different being in the room, where you can tell who’s reacting to what. How council members regard each other. Who talks to who during a recess. My first tip is always to go in person. It may seem redundant in the age of livestreaming, but in reality it sets you apart when you choose to speak.
At my second meeting, a rezoning case came up that was bread and butter upzoning. There happened to be limited opposition. The moment I stated my proponent position, most of the council perked out of half a slumber to listen. Proponents of rezoning cases (other than the applicant) were basically unheard of in Durham.
Since then, I’ve attended every council meeting I can, and recapped them on my Substack. I regularly speak in favor of housing. Generally, this consists of picking a worthy rezoning case, signing up, and speaking for 2-3 minutes.
Speaking at City Council
So… how can YOU also speak at your own city council meetings?
First, attend the September 10th training hosted by myself, CITYBUILDER, and YIMBY Triangle!
If you can’t quite make that, my first recommendation to anyone starting this journey is to attend and watch a few council meetings prior to ever approaching the podium. Listen, learn who is influential, understand how the flow of meetings work. There’s nothing worse than hearing your name, getting up to the podium, and not knowing how to work the microphone.
After that, pick a low-risk entry point. My first rezoning case was a slam dunk that had little opposition. This is ideal, since you’ll have the lowest possible pressure for your first time at the podium. In your speech, stick to good fundamental YIMBY talking points. Less is more, don’t go into every weed possible. Pick a good rhetorical point and make it well. If you don’t use all the time given, that’s ok. It is more important to state what you want well, than it is to speak a lot. I personally like to prepare bullet points to speak off of. That way, I have a short list of beats or themes I want to hit in the beginning, middle, and end of a talk.
Once you know what to do with the microphone and how the meetings run. Pick a case, prepare, and go speak regardless of the opposition. Are there 40 people lined up to oppose? That just makes your single pro position more notable. Myself, YIMBY Triangle, and CITYBUILDER are full of resources to help you prep.
Always, and I mean always, be polite. Say thank you for the council’s time. Be gracious with those you disagree with on and off the dais. It is tempting to fight with and bicker with NIMBYs in the crowd. But remember, your goal isn’t to influence them, it’s to represent your position well to the elected body. Being a voice of reason and calmness goes a long way.
And finally, be consistent! It sounds simple, but don’t just show up once every couple months. Elected officials notice who is there consistently. If you’re a regular, and every time you speak is productive and thoughtful, you will start to win hearts and minds. The YIMBY movement began as a dedicated local government advocacy group, and it is still most effective (in my humble opinion) as a movement focused on local government.
Anyone with the will and knowledge can make a difference at their local city council. I hope that this advice helps you take action, become more involved, advocate for pro-housing positions, and make a positive difference in your community.
🕰️ Thursday September 10th • 6:30pm - 8:00pm
📍 Residence Inn by Marriott Durham McPherson • 1108 W Main St, Durham
Join CITYBUILDER and Yes! In My Triangle for this free training to learn how to speak at City Council and public meetings. We’ll be joined by local leaders and advocates, as well the Duke University Improv team!
In this this training we will:
Learn how to sign up to speak at meetings
Practice composing and delivering messages with impact
Gain public speaking confidence through improv games
This training is FREE and open to the public, but spots are limited!
Andy Lowe is a Durham resident who is passionate about local politics and land use. To keep up with him and the Durham City Council, check out his Substack. He serves as chapter lead for the RDU New Liberals.
