Full name: Andrea Cazales
Party affiliation: Democrat
Campaign website: https://www.cazalesforcitycouncil.com/
1) In 300 words or less, please give our readers your elevator pitch: Why are you running? Why should voters entrust you with this position? What prior experience will make you an effective member of the Durham City Council?
I am running for Durham City Council because our city deserves leadership that reflects the people who live here. Too many people have told me they see their own story in mine: as a daughter of Mexican immigrants, an eldest sibling, a nurse, a researcher, a student, a renter, a young professional, and a working-class neighbor. That is both an honor and a responsibility.
I bring a unique and needed perspective to City Hall. I have cared for newborns and families in the hospital, listened to adolescents struggling with mental health, and studied how local decisions on housing, safety, transit, and the environment shape their health and livelihoods. I carry that knowledge into understanding the challenges facing Durham today. My code of ethics as a nurse and my core values as someone raised in a Mexican household that prioritizes care for the collective ground me in compassion, accountability, and transparency.
Durham is called the City of Medicine, but I know it can be more: a City of Healing. That requires leaders who see health justice as the foundation of social justice, who understand that housing policy is health policy, that gun violence is a public health crisis, that displacement erodes community well-being, and that environmental protections safeguard our future. I am not running because of the titles I hold, but because of the experiences I’ve lived through them. I know what it means to show up, to listen deeply, and to act boldly alongside community. If elected, I will bring evidence-based thinking, compassionate courage, and collective care to City Council. Because a healthy Durham is a thriving Durham, and every resident deserves to thrive.
2) What would your priorities be as a member of the city council? Please identify three of the most pressing issues Durham currently faces and how you believe the city should address them.
My priorities as a City Council member are to focus on community, connection, care, and courage. The three most pressing issues Durham faces right now are youth well-being, housing and infrastructure, and the attacks on vulnerable communities from state and federal levels.
Our young people are one hundred percent of our future. Too many are struggling with mental health, violence, and a lack of opportunity. Durham has to treat youth well-being as a priority by expanding peer-led and culturally responsive supports, investing in safe public spaces, and creating real opportunities for young people to thrive.
Housing and infrastructure are also urgent. Housing is health, and so are sidewalks, parks, and transit. Families cannot remain rooted in Durham if they are constantly facing displacement or unsafe neighborhoods. I will fight for a Tenant Bill of Rights, Right to Counsel in eviction cases, stronger eviction diversion programs, fare-free transit, and safe sidewalks and bike lanes in every neighborhood.
At the same time, we cannot ignore that vulnerable communities in Durham are under attack. Immigrants, LGBTQ+ residents, and working families are being targeted at the state and federal level. Durham must be a city that stands boldly with them in words and action.
These issues are not separate. People do not live in silos, and neither should our policies. Under a government that thrives on division, our survival and our thriving depend on unity, meeting people’s basic needs, and organizing together. When we do that, Durham can be more than the City of Medicine. It can be the City of Healing.
3) What’s the best or most important thing the Durham City Council has done in the past year? Additionally, name a decision you believe the city should have handled differently. Please explain your answers.
There have been several important steps taken by City Council in the past year that stood out to me. I was glad to see the passing of the Fourth Amendment workplace protections, the expansion of the HEART program, the continuation of fare-free buses, and even the donation of old skate ramps to a local skate shop to create a DIY skatepark at The Scrap Exchange spearheaded by Manifest Skateshop. Each of these reflects what is possible when we invest in people, public space, and care.
What the city should have handled differently was the Hayti rezoning tied to the developer Sterling Bay. Community input should have been built in from the very beginning rather than treated as an afterthought. The “investments” the developer proposed were crumbs, made to sound like missed opportunities when they suddenly withdrew at the last minute. Dozens of residents gave their time and energy to show up and speak, yet were denied that chance while the developer’s representative had the floor. That process was disrespectful and harmful to a community that has already lived through displacement and broken promises.
I also believe the vote to approve a pilot for ShotSpotter was wrong. I prioritize care over surveillance and over-policing. Evidence from systematic reviews and the voices of Durham community leaders show that ShotSpotter is ineffective and reactionary. It would have been the easiest no for me to vote against a pilot of this tool. Instead of spending hundreds of thousands on technology that does not prevent gun violence, we should be investing in the root causes of safety such as stable housing, neighborhood infrastructure, economic opportunity, and youth programs. That is how we build real community safety.
4) President Trump is working to ramp up deportations and curtail visas. At the same time, the state legislature has passed laws requiring cooperation with ICE. What do you think Durham officials can or should do to ensure safe, welcoming communities for immigrants in light of these policies?
We have seen these tyrannical acts before, and one thing we know is that the people united will never be defeated. City Council members cannot be idle in moments like this. We must boldly reject these policies in both words and actions, because that is what democracy requires right now.
I will be vocal in naming how all forms of oppression are connected, from ICE raids targeting immigrant families here to the genocide happening in Gaza. Understanding those connections helps us see why mobilizing and organizing is vital now more than ever. As the daughter of Mexican immigrants, I know what it means to be directly impacted and I carry the lived example of how immigrant communities make Durham stronger every day, and I will fight to make this city a safe and welcoming place for all.
The passing of Fourth Amendment workplace protections was an important step, but it only covers city workers. We are living in times where we may have to act as human shields for our neighbors, and where elected officials might risk arrest to defend their communities. That is the kind of courage this moment requires. I am ready to stand up boldly, fiercely, and unapologetically to protect the people I serve. No law or legislation will stop me from putting the lives and dignity of Durham residents first. Sometimes that means elected officials must put themselves on the line, because our duty is to the people we serve, not to federal or state agendas that harm them. Protecting immigrant communities will take all of us, those directly impacted, friends, neighbors, and organizers, standing together. And in a time when trust in government is at an all-time low, I will earn the trust of this community by proving I will not back down when our people are under attack.
5) Federal funding cuts this year have hit the Triangle particularly hard, from canceled grants to layoffs, and local government officials are having to make difficult decisions about what to fund and how. What are your ideas for how the city can prioritize competing funding needs, close funding gaps, and balance the financial burden on residents?
As a nurse, I know what it means to make life-and-death decisions with limited resources. On City Council, the stakes are just as high, only on a larger scale. That is why I will fight to make sure the financial burden does not continue to fall hardest on working families, renters, and homeowners already stretched thin.
Instead of raising property taxes year after year, we should be holding institutions and developers accountable to contribute their fair share. Duke University owns vast amounts of property in Durham yet pays no property taxes because of its nonprofit status. At the same time, the university relies on city services and on the very residents who keep it running. It is time for Duke to invest directly and monetarily in the city that sustains it.
The same is true for developers. When they come before City Council, their contributions must match the scale of what they take from Durham. Too often they offer crumbs while reaping enormous profits. I will make sure their commitments to affordable housing, infrastructure, and community investment are binding and substantial.
Durham residents are already paying their share. It is large institutions and developers that must step up, so that the people of Durham are no longer left carrying the burden.
6) As climate change leads to more intense rainfall, communities are at greater risk of inland flooding, such as the historic floods in parts of the Triangle caused by Tropical Storm Chantal in July. How would you like Durham to address climate resilience, particularly flooding?
I want Durham to invest in the infrastructure of historically divested neighborhoods, especially Black and Brown communities, where the aftermath of flooding is most palpable and dire. That means putting real resources into stormwater systems, green infrastructure, and tree canopy in the very neighborhoods that have been ignored the longest.
At the same time, we have to be critical about how development is approved. Climate resilience is not just about reacting after storms. It is about who is allowed to build, how they build, and whether their plans center climate justice. Too often developers come before City Council with projects that destroy green space, increase flooding risk, and displace residents. That is not resilience. That is environmental racism perpetuated through policy.
Durham has power here. Every zoning and development decision made by City Council either protects or harms our people. I will hold developers accountable to preserve green space, strengthen stormwater infrastructure, and prioritize communities made most susceptible because of historic neglect and divestment. If we want true climate resilience, we must confront the long-standing environmental racism entrenched into local decisions and put people and neighborhoods before profit.
7) Describe what sustainable growth and development mean to you. Additionally, what is another municipality you believe has made smart decisions related to growth and development that could be similarly implemented in Durham?
Sustainable growth to me means development that is not just about equity but about justice. It means centering the very communities that have made Durham what it is instead of pushing them out. Too often we see developers displace longtime residents, erase the culture that makes a place rich, and then try to repackage and sell that culture back for profit. That is not growth, that is extraction.
True sustainable development works with communities from the very beginning and stays accountable to residents long after the developers have collected their profits. It requires transparency, clarity, and real participation from the people who will live with the consequences. Growth will happen, but it must happen in a way that preserves history, uplifts culture, and ensures the people who built Durham can remain rooted here.
I do not point to another municipality as a model, because Durham is at a crossroads and has the chance to lead. We can set the standard by centering community voices as experts and pairing that knowledge with technical expertise in planning, housing, and infrastructure. If we get this right, Durham can grow in a way that does not erase but strengthens the people, culture, and neighborhoods that make this city home.
8) Downtown Durham continues to see growth, with large commercial developments and hundreds of new housing units, yet businesses say they’re still suffering. How would you reinvigorate this major business district?
Downtown Durham cannot just be about new towers and shiny developments while small businesses struggle. If we want to reinvigorate downtown, we have to make it more inviting, more connected, and more about people than profit. That means making downtown a place where people do not just come for one thing and leave, but a place they want to linger, explore, and feel at home.
Right now, there are too few green spaces downtown, and the ones we do have are always full. We need to invest in infrastructure that preserves and creates green space, public recreation areas, and places of connection. Green space is not just an amenity. It is health, it is community, and it is what makes people want to stay.
We also need transit that is free, frequent, and fast so people across Durham can actually get downtown. Parking is not enough. Reliable transit connects communities to businesses, jobs, and opportunities and ensures that downtown belongs to everyone, not just those who can afford to drive and park.
I am still learning in this area, and I think that is key. Leadership cannot assume it already has all the answers. It requires listening to those most directly impacted, including small business owners, workers, and residents who have not been invited into these conversations, and making sure they have a seat at the table.
Downtown should reflect Durham’s spirit of community, care, and connection. If we change the culture of downtown into one that feels welcoming, curious, and rooted in people, then businesses will not just survive, they will thrive.
9) The City of Durham is realigning its homelessness services. What can or should the city be doing to support this growing population, especially in light of recent changes to state law governing encampments and financial pressures on service providers?
Addressing the root causes of homelessness will be a priority for me. It may not yield fast results, but it is the only way to ensure people can stay stably housed. That means investing in policies that keep people in their homes, creating pipelines to good-paying careers, and making sure our foster youth who age out of the system are not left without support or shelter. The biggest way to reduce homelessness is to prevent it in the first place.
At the same time, we cannot ignore the role of power and resources. Durham residents pay property taxes every year, but institutions like Duke University, which owns vast amounts of property, pay nothing because of their nonprofit status. Developers also profit enormously while offering crumbs back to the city. Both must contribute financially to solutions that address homelessness. Their wealth can and should help fund housing, shelter, and wraparound services that keep people stable.
This work must always be done in collaboration with those directly impacted, with organizations that have been doing the work on the ground, and with elected officials across systems such as City Council, Durham Public Schools, and the Board of Commissioners. A holistic approach means not only providing emergency shelter, but also addressing the long-standing inequities in housing, income, and healthcare that create homelessness in the first place. Durham must choose to care for people over criminalizing poverty, and I will fight to make sure we do.
10) According to the Triangle Community Foundation, there’s a mismatch between the price point of housing units available in Durham and what Durham renters can afford, amounting to a nearly 25,000-unit deficit for low-income renters. What can the city do to ensure Durham housing is affordable for current and future residents?
I will be transparent that I am not a housing developer or finance expert. What I do know is what it means to be a renter in Durham, watching the cost of living skyrocket while wages stay the same. I know what it feels like for neighbors to be priced out of the very communities they built. And I know how displacement shows up as a public health crisis, harming families, eroding community ties, and worsening inequality. That lived experience, paired with my training as a nurse and researcher, gives me the toolkit to work with experts and community members to deliver real solutions.
The city must hold developers accountable. Too often, “affordable” units are approved at price points that working-class residents still cannot afford, or they flip to market rate after a short period. That is not true affordability. We need stronger definitions of affordability tied to the real wages of Durham residents, not the profits of developers.
I also believe the city must explore new revenue sources. Institutions like Duke, which owns massive amounts of property but pays no property tax, should contribute to solutions that keep people housed. Developers who profit from Durham’s growth should be required to make meaningful and binding contributions to affordable housing funds.
Housing is not a privilege. It is a right. I will fight to make sure Durham becomes a city where people are not just surviving, but rooted, secure, and thriving. Because a healthy Durham is a thriving Durham, and that starts with housing.
11) For some residents, gun violence remains a persistent issue even though shootings and other violent crimes are currently down from last year. How would you rate the progress the city has made and what are your ideas for improving public safety?
While shootings are down from last year, I would not call that true progress. A temporary drop in numbers does not mean we are safer as a city. Real progress will come when we address the root causes of violence and ensure every neighborhood has the resources to thrive.
Gun violence is not just about crime statistics. It is about whether people feel safe, rooted, and supported in their own communities. That requires investing in historically divested neighborhoods so people actually want to live and stay there, with safe housing, strong schools, walkable infrastructure, and spaces of connection.
Violence does not start with a gun. It starts with disinvestment, poverty, lack of opportunity, and young people left without hope. To stop violence, we must build real pathways to careers, mentorship opportunities, and youth programs that create stability and purpose.
Public safety cannot mean more surveillance or over-policing. Tools like ShotSpotter promise quick fixes but do nothing to address the root causes. True safety means leading with care, treating gun violence as a public health crisis, and investing in prevention. When we prioritize housing, opportunity, and healing over surveillance and punishment, Durham can finally become a city where every resident feels safe.
12) If there are other issues you want to discuss, please do so here.
Thank you for the opportunity and these thoughtful questions!
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