The High Cost of Saying No
Five Points’ fight against housing diversity drives up prices for everyone — including residents themselves
Despite cooling housing costs across Raleigh, one cluster of neighborhoods stands out for refusing to budge: Five Points. Nestled inside the Beltline and steeped in historical charm, the area has become a hotbed of resistance to the city’s Missing Middle housing reforms. But here’s the twist: local residents’ opposition isn’t just hurting the city, it’s hurting themselves too.
This article digs into the story of Five Points, both as a group of neighborhoods and as a symbolic holdout against more affordable, inclusive housing in Raleigh. We’ll explore the history, the lawsuits, the zoning fights, and the costs — financial and otherwise — of saying “no” to change.
Five Points Defined
The Five Points area is a cluster of five historic neighborhoods, the core of which includes…
