Full name: Paul Durant Long
Party affiliation: Democrat
Campaign website: durantfordurham.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 City Council to strike at the heart of the systemic disenfranchisement that has plagued American democracy at every level. Durham’s system of representation is outdated and ineffective, and has perpetuated the partisan gridlock which keeps a stranglehold on equitable growth, both social and economic, in our city. I am Durham born and raised, and I love this city. As a student in DPS, I became aware early on of the great inequality that exists here. In a city that has so much wealth, it is inexcusable that we have so many neighbors who have difficulty affording food and shelter. I believe that basic necessities such as these are human rights and Durham’s role in turning them into commodities via land development must end.
The voters of Durham should trust me in this position because in addition to being wholly invested in improving life in Durham for all, I am running a completely self-funded campaign. The core tenet of my campaign, a rising tide lifts all ships, is the guiding principle I would govern by, and because I have accepted no money for my campaign, the voters of Durham can be confident that the votes I cast will be consistent with my values. My youth is an asset that gives me the freedom to see the possibilities available and the confidence to freely speak my mind. The ins and outs of government can be learned, but integrity and conviction cannot.
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.
1 – Equitable representation
Our city urgently needs to redistrict, adopt a true ward system, and get rid of at-large seats. While poll taxes and literacy tests may be a thing of the past, tens of thousands of Durhamites are still disenfranchised by no one from their community having a seat at the governing table. A city of 300,000 divided into three wards does not afford accurate representation for all Durhamites. The challenges faced by residents in the N.C. Central/Fayetteville Street corridor are different from those faced by people in the Southpoint area. A true ward system would ensure that residents of a ward would be the only ones electing their representation. Woodcroft should not be electing Hayti’s representative, nor should Hope Valley elect Braggtown’s. We should not be content with the current imperfect but fixable system of representation in Durham.
2 – Affordable housing
A stable housing environment is the biggest factor in a person’s ability to succeed. By pushing hard in this one area, we will reap dividends in almost every other, be it employment, crime reduction, and a broadening tax base. Modern development treats housing as a speculative commodity rather than a human right. The city of Durham must focus on buying and developing its own land for affordable housing in addition to taking a hard line against developers in zoning cases that don’t address our shortage of affordable housing in a meaningful way. If elected, I will advocate for Durham Housing Authority to cease pursuing evictions from DHA properties for nonpayment of rent.
3 – Youth opportunity
We must focus on providing the next generation with hope and opportunity. As youth crime and unemployment rise, our prerogative lies in providing affordable and accessible extracurricular activities, post-secondary training, bridge programs and low to no cost community events. There are thousands of stable jobs waiting to be filled, and just as many Durhamites waiting to fill them. Our city needs to facilitate that connection so that growth can come from within as well as without. Working with DPS, Durham Tech, and community partners to meet this need would a) provide working parents with a safe and reliable afterschool and summer childcare option, b) provide the children with educational and engaging activities, and, c) provide teens with exposure to career opportunities in areas they may not have learned about in school, like different trade disciplines and construction work, all of which our growing area have great needs for. Giving our youth something to look forward to will make our community stronger.
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.
By far the best decision City Council has made in the past year was to continue to prioritize GoDurham access for all. As someone who rides the bus daily, I see firsthand the impact accessible transportation has for so many segments of our population. Most Durhamites who own cars don’t think twice about running errands or getting to work. For people without cars, going to the doctor or the grocery store isn’t so easy. Despite our efforts to create a walkable city, we are still sprawling. Food deserts exist. Free GoDurham buses are a lifeline for our neighbors and provide a valuable service that gives people the ability to stay integrated into the community and maintain agency.
A recent decision I disagree with is the handling of the annexation and zoning change request for the Gateway at Brier Creek. As we are all aware, housing is one of the biggest challenges for Durham. A 300 acre development promising 1,750 housing units would seem to be a boon to Durham’s housing supply. This parcel of land sited close to Brier Creek at Highway 70 and Leesville Road is within the Urban Growth Boundary, and the proposed development appears to be consistent with the current growth in the area. This parcel of land is massive, though, and the Planning Commission did not recommend approval of this project due to several questions about the proposed development. While it is true that having a comprehensive plan for an area is more beneficial than dealing with piecemeal zoning and land use changes, a project of this size that affects a larger footprint than downtown Durham must be scrutinized due to its outsized impact on Durham’s landscape. As currently proposed, this development appears to be another in a long line of car-dependent sprawl approvals along the Highway 70 corridor. The zoning change is predicted to add 3,400 car trips per day in an area that is not currently serviced by GoDurham. The developers state that 70% of the area will be covered by impervious surfaces and that they are unable to further reduce that. In addition, the plan includes space for only 175 affordable housing units out of almost 2,000 planned residential units- and those units do not currently have a developer commitment so they may wind up being the City’s problem to solve. A development of this size had the possibility to positively impact Durham, but as with so many of the approved projects in Durham, the developers are the ones who benefit most.
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?
Durham is a place where all are welcome, and the contributions made by our diverse communities are what add warmth, vibrancy, and stability to our city. We all benefit from the immigrant population in this country and we are stronger because of them. The city of Durham going on record as a Fourth Amendment workplace was a great visible action to show our values as a community. Making sure municipal employees are aware of the city’s stance is paramount, and an area in which collaboration with our county counterparts will be important. Providers of all city and county services should be clear on our Fourth Amendment workplace declaration. Cooperation between city and county law enforcement is important to ensure that the departments are on the same page and policies are consistent and reflect an adherence to the guarantees afforded all in the US by the Constitution.
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?
Durham is unique in that the city limits comprise a large geographic area of the county as well as the overwhelming bulk of the population. By working intimately with our county partners in the likely upcoming time of fiscal stress we can pool our resources and eliminate redundant functions within both our systems. Funding prioritization should be given to programs that impact a large portion of Durhamites as well as programs that meet the most basic needs, such as food, shelter, and utilities. In addition, the city budget will need to be closely examined to identify line items that don’t serve essential services and eliminate funding for programs that are enhancements for life in Durham rather than essential. No one likes the idea of cutting funding for popular projects, but during times of decreased financial resources, difficult budgeting decisions must be made to keep the city functioning. The recent switch to alternating yard waste collection weeks is a wise start down this path, and there are many more opportunities for stretching our funds through creative approaches to budgeting issues.
The COVID pandemic shutdown in 2020 gave us a glimpse of what a time of economic crisis looks like in Durham. One of the most important things we saw during that time was the community coming together to provide meals for our neighbors. It is possible that we will need to tap into the experience of local non-profit leaders and mutual aid organizers to efficiently meet the needs of our community in the near future. By uniting and utilizing our city, county, and community resources, Durham will be able to weather the storm.
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?
Climate change is a reality we cannot ignore. The most important thing Durham can do to offset the effects of climate change is to stop passing zoning and development requests that do not make significant strides towards protecting our environment. A recent example that crystallizes the current Council’s lack of forethought about climate change is its support of The Gateway at Brier Creek. A parcel encompassing more than 300 contiguous acres would have been the perfect large-scale project to lead the way in showing sustainable development able to mitigate the effects of climate change while still maintaining its ambitious scale. I discussed The Gateway in question 3 regarding a recent Council decision I disagreed with. This development was approved by City Council despite 70% impervious surface coverage, 12% tree coverage, and only 2 acres of open space- again, this is a 308 acre development whose impact on the local landscape is huge. We have the data to show the effects trees and plants have on stormwater management, and the effects impervious surfaces have on our creeks, streams, land, and temperature. Add in the planned blasting that will compound the effects of significantly reduced vegetation with erosion and you have a development lacking natural protection from climate events. Unfortunately, permeable pavers, increased tree canopies, and eliminating clear cutting, strategies that would help with flooding, are all more labor-intensive and expensive, and Durham leadership has decided that housing is a commodity they are happy to help broker at the expense of our neighbors.
In addition to approving new developments that include measures to mitigate climate change effects, the city needs to engage in repairing areas affected by the Highway 147 construction and other neighborhoods which qualify as heat islands. Many neighborhoods in Durham have lost their open spaces and trees and are suffering from flooding as well as excessive heat. Making environmental reparations to chronically disinvested from areas of Durham not only would improve the stormwater runoff and heat generation by reducing impervious surface, it also increases the enjoyability of neighborhoods’ outdoor spaces.
The final way for Durham to reduce the effects of climate change is to adopt a revised Unified Development Ordinance that increases environmental protections. Parcels of all sizes should have consistent requirements for tree canopy preservation and impervious surface limits. Our current system allows too many loopholes and is too lenient in preserving our natural landscape, yet the effects of climate change are only getting more extreme. Durham needs to be proactive about protecting our city and those neighbors who are moving into the new developments rather than making it easier for developers to maximize profits. The City Council represents the people of Durham and is tasked with operating in the people’s best interest. Durham is currently working for developers rather than our elected officials ensuring that the developers are working for the best interest of Durham.
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 and development are of the utmost importance as we face more frequent and more extreme weather events due to climate change and a changing economic climate. Sustainable development is the philosophy that development can both meet the current needs of a municipality and preserve land and resources that can be enjoyed in the future. Developments need to provide a balance between housing, open spaces, and a location that provides non car dependent access to frequently used services. Density is important in sustainable building because a higher density of population allows for fewer resources to be used for a larger portion of people. Creating a densely populated small area makes the investment in public transportation, parks, and other services for those residents more feasible. Density is also attractive to businesses who want to invest in an area because there are more built-in customers to increase economic activity. The preservation of our natural environment is an important aspect of sustainable development, and it must be balanced with density. Our native trees and ecology are an important line of defense against the effects of climate change. When land is clearcut and blasted, we lose valuable stormwater retention tools. Increasing the minimum required riparian buffers and tree canopy coverage would make smart sense for communities taking a proactive approach to climate change event mitigation. The balance of compact, dense development and tree canopy and open space preservation are what will ensure the longevity of an area by allowing it to be enjoyed by future generations of residents. Responsible sustainable development puts the needs of the community at the forefront.
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?
As downtown Durham grows and with it further commercial developments and housing units, many Durhamites are overwhelmed by the high amount of traffic and the frustrating task of finding parking. Moreover, many do not want to pay a fee in order to shop in an economy of already egregious inflation. By reducing the peripheral cost and making the experience easier, more Durhamites will be encouraged to patronize our small businesses. Investing in both people-powered and public transit is a great way to do this. We also need to hold more cultural events and arts showcases. Community gatherings are a great way to both increase familiarity with the district, promote small business and bring Durhamites together. The Bullpen Social District is a good start toward fostering a social atmosphere while encouraging exploration of downtown. I would work collaboratively with the Downtown Durham, Inc group that is tasked with driving dollars to the business district to see what strategies they feel need support. I am not in favor of building a new convention center downtown. A new convention center would cause significant disruption for downtown businesses, residents, and visitors. The promise of jobs from a new convention center would not materialize and trickle down to the people of Durham, and the center would never recoup its building cost through tax dollars.
The most effective way to help our downtown business owners would be to stabilize rent, but unfortunately our state legislature has tied the hands of municipalities in regards to sensible self-governance that are fitting for their towns.
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?
I support the city of Durham’s Strategic Plan to End Homelessness. In the meantime, we must continue funding day shelters as well as boost resource visibility so that our most vulnerable are aware of the care available to those in need.
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 believe that housing is a human right, and I appreciate the wording of this question. Durham does not have a housing shortage, we have a shortage of affordable housing. We currently have a residential vacancy rate over 10%, yet rental prices are not being appreciably affected- the market is barely seeing a 1% reduction in advertised rent. The reality for almost half of Durham’s lower income homeowners and renters is having to spend over half of their income on housing each month. When our neighbors are struggling to keep a roof over their heads, how can they ever plan and save for the future?
Candidates who claim that we can build, build, build our way to housing for all are missing the mark. The sad reality is that housing across our country- and especially in growing areas like Durham- has been turned into a commodity by which investors extract as much capital as they can. We could approve every upzoning request before City Council and see no appreciable increase in affordable housing for the people who make Durham run because affordable housing does not provide an attractive ROI for developers. There is no amount of zoning approvals that would result in the 25,000 units needed. In the massive 300 acre Gateway at Brier Creek, the current City Council just reduced the number of affordable units needed by a whopping 175… possibly at some point in the future if a builder can be found. It is offensive that people tasked with representing the residents of Durham give nothing more than lip service to the affordability crisis. Elected officials who say we need affordable housing but then vote to approve a 2,000 unit development that allocates a paltry 175 affordable homes with no guarantees about their even being built do not care about affordable housing for Durhamites.
If affordable housing is to be built to meet the needs of our neighbors, the city needs to invest more in constructing units. We have seen time and time again that developers cannot make enough money building affordable units to construct them, so why do we keep relying on them? Durham needs to take the lead and begin work on city-owned properties throughout town. No one wants taxes to go up, but allowing our neighbors to continually struggle to find affordable shelter is unacceptable. The city should consider an affordable housing bond that is used to construct both large format rental units as well as single family homes that allow homeownership by the resident.
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?
No resident of Durham should live in fear. There are parts of town that hear gun shots daily keeping residents on edge. Our emergency response and 911 are an integral part of public safety, and we are falling short on that front right now. Although many services are county-based, this is yet another area that requires city-county collaboration due to our shared geography. When 911 calls aren’t being answered or there are no units available to respond to calls, it impacts the health and safety of Durhamites. Filling the vacancies in the police department will help alleviate some of the strain on services. The HEART team is unequivocally a positive addition to our public safety options that improves outcomes for neighbors in need.
That being said, I believe we must focus all our efforts on fighting the root cause of disturbances in public safety. Nobody wants to commit robberies; nobody wants to take another’s life. These incidents, especially among our youth, are caused by a lack of resources resulting from systemic disinvestment in certain communities. When people feel hopeless, they make choices that reflect that. As I’ve mentioned in the previous questions, we must give Durhamites stability. Dependable shelter and sustenance are vital to the well-being of humans. The city should support DHA in making much needed repairs to apartments to start. We must give our youth a future to look forward to. We need vocational, trade and certificate programs. We need affordable and accessible recreation programs to support working parents. We need mentorship programs for young people. We need to fully support our local organizations that help in the transition home from incarceration. Facilitating a strong community that has a place for all is our path towards a safer shared future.
12) If there are other issues you want to discuss, please do so here.
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