To: The North Carolina State House and The North Carolina State Senate
Stop HB 436
HB 436 would prevent municipalities from imposing impact fees on developers. Developers get rich; residents pay the bills.
Why is this important?
The General Assembly is considering a bill (HB 436) that would prevent local municipalities from imposing impact fees on developers. If developers aren't made to pay their fair share of infrastructure costs to support growth that they profit from, residents either will pay increased property taxes to support their profits or residents will suffer from more congested roads and overwhelmed infrastructure.
I'm sure this is an issue that will impact other municipalities and it is yet another example of the "small government" Republicans over-reaching to try to regulate municipal government.
Raleigh's infrastructure is not keeping up with growth – resulting in terrible traffic congestion. Developers say everyone should live near where they work so they can walk or bike everywhere, but that’s not practical for all.
Gentrification is leading to rising housing prices, crowding out the already inadequate supply of affordable housing.
Developers say density is preferable to sprawl, but most of the density seems to be luxury condos and apartments and replacements of modest homes with McMansions, forcing those looking for affordable housing to move further away and thus contributing to sprawl. Those who work in Raleigh (teachers, first responders, hospitality workers) can’t afford to live near their work places, so we are getting sprawl nonetheless.
Developers say residents benefit from growth through increased property values, but residents may be forced out of their homes because they can’t afford the higher property taxes. And there’s nowhere affordable for them to go. Developers make the money and residents pay the bill – welfare for the rich.
I'm sure this is an issue that will impact other municipalities and it is yet another example of the "small government" Republicans over-reaching to try to regulate municipal government.
Raleigh's infrastructure is not keeping up with growth – resulting in terrible traffic congestion. Developers say everyone should live near where they work so they can walk or bike everywhere, but that’s not practical for all.
Gentrification is leading to rising housing prices, crowding out the already inadequate supply of affordable housing.
Developers say density is preferable to sprawl, but most of the density seems to be luxury condos and apartments and replacements of modest homes with McMansions, forcing those looking for affordable housing to move further away and thus contributing to sprawl. Those who work in Raleigh (teachers, first responders, hospitality workers) can’t afford to live near their work places, so we are getting sprawl nonetheless.
Developers say residents benefit from growth through increased property values, but residents may be forced out of their homes because they can’t afford the higher property taxes. And there’s nowhere affordable for them to go. Developers make the money and residents pay the bill – welfare for the rich.