Tell us about yourself and your campaign. Why are you running for the Durham City Council? What makes you the best candidate in this race? Please include any prior experience relevant to being a strong, progressive member of the Durham City Council.*

I am a lifelong Durham resident, educator, artist, entrepreneur, and public servant. I served as Director of Dance and Outreach for the North Carolina Arts Council and as Director of Arts in the Parks for North Carolina State Parks and Recreation, leading statewide initiatives that brought equity, creativity, and community into public life. I have taught in Durham’s public and charter schools and built programs that connect young people and adults to opportunity.

I am running for Mayor to restore vision, renew courage, and expand real opportunities to live, learn, work, worship, serve, invest, and play in Durham. 

Durham deserves policy that is people-powered and measurable, not rhetorical. My governing framework—Durham is H.O.P.E. (Housing & Healing, Opportunity & Ownership, People’s Safety & People’s Trust, Environment & Education)—is a plan to deliver better outcomes while preventing avoidable displacement—anchored in no net loss, right-to-return, and preservation of NOAH—to protect legacy while welcoming growth, and to build trust through visible accountability.

Rooted in Durham, I bring a unique perspective, the ability to connect people, and a record of turning bold ideas into results. I listen deeply, co-design with community, and deliver measurable outcomes. As Mayor, I will work closely with City Council to ensure we build with people—not over them.

In your own words, define what it means to be a “progressive” Durham City Council Member. If you have one, who is your Progressive political role model and why?*

A progressive Durham leader—and the City Council Members I will work alongside—leads with values, measures outcomes, and refuses false choices. Progressive leadership means development without displacement—measured by no net loss and right-to-return; safety that is people-centered and data-driven; climate readiness that lowers bills and saves lives; and government that is transparent, accountable, and accessible to those most impacted.

My progressive role model is my father, former Mayor William V. “Bill” Bell. I watched him expand opportunity while insisting on measurable results, build coalitions across difference, center neighborhoods in decision-making, and steward Durham through growth with fiscal discipline, equity, and accountability. He taught me that leadership is presence, listening, and execution; development must serve people; and trust is earned by delivering. I bring that standard to this campaign.

The NC Office of State Budget and Management projects Durham County’s population to reach 454,000 by 2050. What is your long-term plan to ensure the city keeps up with housing demands, while ensuring affordability for residents? How does your plan factor in mass public transportation, environmental impacts, climate change, pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure, emergency services, and public schools?*

Housing & Anti-Displacement. Adopt a citywide anti-displacement standard: no net loss of deeply affordable homes; right-to-return; and first-look purchase programs for tenants and local, mission-aligned developers. Use residual-income metrics and the Housing + Transportation Index—not AMI alone—to target what Durham residents can actually afford. Scale community land trusts, limited-equity co-ops, and rent-to-own pathways. Tie public subsidy and upzonings to deeper affordability and longer terms, using development agreements where state law allows.

Transit & Land Use. Advance bus rapid transit and commuter rail with anti-displacement funds at station areas. Require transit-oriented development that includes affordable homes, ground-floor neighborhood services, and safe, shaded, walkable streets. Build complete streets with protected bike lanes, traffic calming, and safer intersections, prioritizing corridors with high injury rates.

Climate & Environment. Make Durham climate-ready: expand tree canopy, cool streets, green stormwater infrastructure, and flood-resilient design—especially in heat- and flood-vulnerable neighborhoods. Require strong green-building standards for projects receiving city support. Protect and connect open space, parks, and trails because the environment is education and public health.

Emergency Services. Staff for growth with modern deployment, 911 call triage that routes behavioral-health calls to HEART, and resilient facilities with backup power, cooling, and emergency communications.

Schools. While schools are county-governed, the city must align land use, safe routes, transit, and housing stability with student success. I will co-plan with DPS and the County on siting, traffic safety, shared facilities, and joint capital projects that strengthen neighborhoods.

We desperately need more housing, and importantly, affordable housing. How do you plan to keep developers accountable to the community and their commitments? What commitments do you see as mandatory for developers (e.g., % of affordable units, obligations to build sidewalks and schools)?*

Accountability tools. Bind commitments through development agreements and rezoning conditions where legally permissible. Require public, project-level dashboards that track units by income tier, tenure, and term, plus local hiring and environmental performance. Establish independent compliance audits tied to certificates of occupancy and future approvals. Maintain no net loss for Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) with funded right-to-return.

Baseline commitments (when public action or value-uplift is involved).

• Deeper affordability (prioritizing below 60% AMI) with 30-year or longer terms, using residual-income targeting where feasible.

• On-site accessible and family-sized units; eviction-prevention partners.

• Complete streets: sidewalks, protected bike facilities, street trees, lighting, transit amenities, and traffic calming proportional to impact.

• Green infrastructure and energy efficiency above code.

• First-source hiring, fair-chance policies, and local workforce pipelines.

Schools. The City cannot mandate school construction. I will coordinate with DPS and the County to ensure large rezonings include safe routes, traffic mitigation, and, where appropriate, voluntary contributions through development agreements.

Do you accept or have you ever accepted campaign donations from the real estate industry and executives (developers, realtors, property management, etc)? If so, from which entities and why?*

Yes. I welcome lawful contributions from individuals in any sector—including housing and real estate—who share a commitment to building a better Durham for every one. I am not anti-development; I am pro-accountability and pro-community benefit. Responsible developers and real estate professionals are important partners in delivering housing, jobs, and neighborhood investments.

Support never buys access or influence. Every contribution is publicly reported, and I am accountable for my decisions. People and purpose come before profit, and I will not compromise trust. Donors should expect transparency and to be known.

I will follow state ethics law and City policy. When a contribution presents an actual or perceived conflict with a matter before me and the City Council, I will act to protect public trust: I will recuse where required, and I will decline or return the contribution when appropriate. All decisions will be made on the merits, in public, without preferential treatment, with disclosure of any relevant contributions.

Historically, the council has disregarded input from the Planning Commission, leading to resignations. How do you see the relationship between the Durham Planning Commission and the Durham City Council?*

The Planning Commission is Durham’s primary public advisory body on land use. If trust in the Commission’s guidance or expertise is in question, that is a governance problem, not a scheduling problem. We must either recalibrate the composition, training, and charge of the Commission, or examine the intentions and standards of Council. If we have a Planning Commission in the process, we will not ignore or disregard it.

As Mayor, I will insist on alignment. When Council and the Commission agree to disagree, the reasons will be clear, specific, and public. I will:

• Hold joint policy work sessions and a shared calendar. Quarterly Council–Commission sessions to align on Comprehensive Plan priorities, housing and anti-displacement goals, climate standards, and code updates before controversial votes.

• Require a written Divergence Statement when Council departs from the Commission. For every legislative decision where Council does not follow the Commission’s recommendation, staff will publish a plain-language memo within a set timeframe that cites: applicable Comprehensive Plan policies; UDO criteria; equity and displacement analysis; infrastructure and environmental impacts; fiscal implications; and summary of public input.

• Adopt a material-changes rule. If an application is materially altered after the Commission vote (scale, intensity, conditions, or site design), it will be returned to the Commission for a focused, time-certain review before Council action.

• Use a skills matrix and open recruitment for appointments. Ensure the Commission reflects technical expertise (planning, housing, preservation, climate, small business), neighborhood perspectives, and demographic diversity. Require annual training in equity, climate resilience, and land-use law, and maintain conflict-of-interest disclosures.

• Publish an alignment dashboard. Track and report concurrence rates, categories of divergence, turnaround times, and implementation of Commission conditions, including roll-call votes and plain-language summaries.

• Set real-information standards for all land-use items. Before Council votes, require a one-page summary that presents the Commission’s vote and rationale, staff analysis, key tradeoffs, and how commitments will be enforced post-approval.

• Trigger code fixes when friction repeats. When Council and the Commission diverge repeatedly on the same issue, direct staff to bring forward a text amendment or policy clarification so the rules match our stated intent.

Firewall against undue influence. Leadership must not be in the pocket of any industry. As Mayor, I will set clear guardrails: public disclosure of meetings with applicants and lobbyists; a written log of ex parte contacts for quasi-judicial items; disclosure by applicants of principals, paid representatives, and recent political contributions; a no-bundling rule and a recusal or return policy when contributions create an actual or perceived conflict; and a cooling-off period before former officials appear before the Commission or Council. We will lead by example and integrity so residents can trust that decisions are made on the merits, in public, and for the public.

Working-class residents in Durham are facing an affordability crisis on all fronts. Some residents feel that the increase in property taxes places additional stress on their finances. Should Duke University and Duke Health make payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) for Duke’s properties to the City of Durham and Durham County? Why or why not? If not, what alternative plans do you have to raise revenue without burdening working-class residents?*

Yes. Duke is a major factor in Durham and a critical partner. Duke indicates that about 62% of its employees live in Durham, so strong public services directly support Duke’s workforce and families. I value the partnership between Duke and the community, and I recognize Duke’s current contributions and donations. Those are welcome, but they are not a substitute for predictable public revenue.

I will pursue a transparent, multi-year PILOT agreement that is separate from donations or purchasing agreements, with a minimum annual amount that grows as Duke’s campus and impacts grow. Negotiations will include labor and community voices, not count donations or avoided costs as PILOT payments, and publish annual reports showing how funds support shared priorities such as affordable housing, stormwater and climate resilience, early- and late-shift transit, and neighborhood infrastructure. This approach is pro-Durham, pro-worker, and pro-partnership.

If a PILOT is delayed or too small, I will protect working-class residents by using tools that do not shift costs onto them: modest fees on short-term rentals and vacant properties; cost recovery for high-impact permits and services; stricter rules for corporate incentives, with clawbacks; efficiency and shared purchasing across City and County; and advocacy for state authority to modernize local revenue tools.

The Public Employee Living Wage Pledge*

[I have signed the Public Employee Living Wage Pledge!]

In addition to the Living Wage Pledge, do you support a living wage for all city workers, including part-time and seasonal workers, and believe the city should cover healthcare premium costs? Why or why not?*

Yes. A living wage must apply to all city workers, including part-time and seasonal workers, with city-covered healthcare premiums. I also support a $25 per hour wage floor with compression fixes, tenure steps, and skill or certification differentials. This is how we recruit, retain, and respect the workforce that keeps Durham moving.

How do you see the relationship between the Durham City Workers Union and the Durham City Council when North Carolina public workers do not have collective bargaining? Additionally, how do you plan to collaborate with the Workers’ Rights Commission to improve working conditions in Durham?*

I support a strong meet-and-confer model with the Durham City Workers Union and formal consultation with the Workers’ Rights Commission. I will:

• Establish quarterly labor-management meetings with shared agendas and public summaries.

• Create a standing Workforce Impact Statement for major budget and policy changes.

• Strengthen grievance processes and whistleblower protections.

• Set measurable goals on pay equity, safety, training, and promotion, and publish progress on a public dashboard.

• Advocate at the state level for collective bargaining rights.
  

Earlier this year, the FBI and ICE arrested elected officials, and ICE recently detained a resident at the Durham courthouse. If elected, how will you use your position to fight back and protect our communities, notably our immigrant neighbors? What level of cooperation with the Trump administration is acceptable?*

I will protect immigrant neighbors and reject any entanglement of local government with federal civil immigration enforcement beyond what the law strictly requires. I will:

• Direct DPD to focus on local public safety and not civil immigration enforcement; require judicial warrants for any cooperation.

• Prohibit use of city resources and facilities for federal civil immigration actions.

• Expand legal defense, know-your-rights education, and language access; certify U-Visas where appropriate.

• Coordinate with the Sheriff, District Attorney, and court partners to reduce courthouse arrests and expand safe-passage practices.

• Build rapid-response protocols with community organizations.
  Acceptable cooperation is limited to what state or federal law mandates, with transparency, due process, and oversight.
  
  

Durham City Council appoints members to RDU Airport Authority. The current board is continuing to allow Wake Stone to develop Umstead State Park into a quarry and plans to sell Lake Crabtree County Park for commercial development. Do you support RDU Airport Authority’s actions, and how would you hold your appointments accountable?*

I do not support actions that harm public parks, water quality, climate resilience, or community health. I will appoint conservation-minded members, require public reporting, and set clear expectations: protect public lands and waters; prioritize noise, air, and stormwater mitigation; and reject quarry expansion that degrades shared assets. Appointees who disregard these principles will be replaced.

How would you advocate for increased funding for our public schools? How would you use your position of power to ensure that money intended for public schools is not diverted to charter schools?*

Although DPS funding is a County responsibility, city leadership can champion schools by coordinating land use, housing stability, and safe routes to reduce student mobility; supporting school bonds and joint City–County infrastructure; opposing diversion of public funds to charters by advocating at the General Assembly and prioritizing DPS in city grants and facilities use; and using data sharing so investments in parks, libraries, transit, and safety directly support student success.

In 2017, Durham became a Vision Zero city, committed to ending traffic deaths. Do you believe Durham is making substantial progress toward Vision Zero, and what can Durham do better?*

Progress has been uneven. Safe, quality roads, sidewalks, and effective speed deterrents are essential. As Mayor, working with City Council, I will pursue a Safe System approach: publish a public baseline of severe crashes, target the high-injury network with lower speeds and quick-build traffic calming, add protected crossings and bikeways near schools and senior destinations, coordinate with NCDOT on state routes, and report quarterly on outcomes. I will not launch new programs before evaluation; I will scale only what proves effective.

The Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Teams program (HEART) was launched in 2022. The program has been widely successful and is viewed favorably by residents, with Durham serving as a role model to municipalities nationwide. Do you support fully funding and expanding the HEART program? Why or why not?*

Yes. I believe HEART will prove to be an essential and effective tool for non-violent behavioral-health and quality-of-life calls. While long-term outcomes are still being evaluated, I support fully funding the City’s adopted expansion to increase capacity and moving toward 24/7 coverage where call volumes and data warrant, in close coordination with 988, mobile crisis, and hospital partners. As Mayor, I will require a public performance dashboard, independent evaluation, and strong workforce support, including competitive pay, training, safety protocols, and clear career ladders.

At the same time, Durham must maintain a fully staffed and supported Police Department, 911 Communications, EMS, and Fire Department. Violent crimes, life-threatening medical emergencies, and fires will continue to receive the fastest sworn or clinical response. HEART, Police, 911, EMS, and Fire must operate as one coordinated system so our city is prepared to respond to any need that arises.

Decisions about further expansion will be made transparently and collaboratively by the Mayor, City Council, and the City Manager, with input from experienced voices: HEART responders and clinicians, 911 telecommunicators, EMS and Fire leadership, DPD, hospital partners, labor representatives, and residents with lived experience. We will use clear metrics and budget realities to determine when to add hours, units, or service areas.

Is there anything not covered in this questionnaire you would like to share?*

Our movement believes in better—for everyone who lives, learns, works, worships, serves, plays, and invests in Durham. I will govern with courage and clarity, measure what matters, and deliver results while preventing avoidable displacement and keeping residents rooted. I would be honored to earn your support, endorsement, and vote.