Name as it appears on the ballot: Joshua Bradley

Age: 50 

Party affiliation: NC Green Party & Socialist Party USA

Campaign website: https://bradleyforraleighworkers.com 

Occupation & employer: Hotel Accountant-Summit Hospitality Group 

Years lived in Raleigh: 32 

1. Given the direction of Raleigh government, would you say things are on the right course? If not, what specific changes will you advocate for if elected? 

No. 

1. Gentrification is still accelerating. I would work to ensure that housing for the workers, the poor, and the unhoused is the number 1 priority of the city. 

2. There have been at least 5 unarmed people killed by police in the last few years. I will work to get the alternative crisis response unit fully funded, as people in crisis need trained social workers to help them, not poorly trained police that have shown themselves to be almost as likely to shoot them as to help. I would work to get police training to emphasize de-escalation over use of force. I would also support a police oversight board made up with members of the community with subpoena power and disciplinary power. 

3. It is important that the people who work for the city can afford to live in the city. I would push for a thriving wage for all city workers and seek to create a strong relationship between the city and the city workers’ unions. 

2. If you are a candidate for a district seat, please identify your priorities for your district. If you are an at-large or mayoral candidate, please identify the three most pressing issues the city faces. 

1. Lack of affordable housing for people who make less than 50% of the Area Median Income and inadequate services for the same people. 

2. City workers’ pay is too low to live and thrive in the city. City workers unions need more access to the municipal government. 

3. The wealthy are prioritized over the workers, the poor, and the unhoused. This needs to change. 

3. What in your record as a public official or other experience demonstrates your ability to be effective as a member of the city council and as an advocate for the issues that you believe are important? 

I have been an organizer for social justice issues for several years. I have served on the national committee of the Socialist Party USA

for 6 years, which has given me a great experience with working to find solutions among people that don’t always agree on ways and means. I have been an accountant for 13 years. I understand budgets. 

4. In 2021, the Raleigh City Council enacted a missing middle policy to allow for the construction of new, diverse types of housing across the city. More than 2,000 newly-allowed units have been added to the city’s housing stock under the policy, yet there has been pushback from residents, including lawsuits. Do you support Raleigh’s missing middle housing policy as is, or do you think it needs amending? If you feel it needs to be changed, please explain.

1. No. 

2. There should be public input in all missing middle zoning for market rate and luxury housing. 

3. Low cost housing should be the goal of missing middle policy, not just a mix of housing types. 

4. Short term rentals (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.) should be banned outside of the primary residence of homeowners. A reason ADU’s will not make a dent in our low cost housing shortfall, is that short term rentals were deregulated. 

5. Raleigh has many funds, programs, and partnerships in place aimed at addressing affordable housing, but still has a deficit of some 23,000 affordable units. What more can the city do to secure affordable housing, and what more can it do to ensure that low-income residents don’t face displacement? 

1. The city should fight for inclusionary zoning. It has been used in other NC cities. 

2. The city should develop and build housing for those most in need on city land. It should create a department responsible for coordinating this.

3. The city should use eminent domain to acquire and refurbish housing that is not properly cared for by the landlord or property management company. 

4. The city may need to push for a substantial housing bond that is focused on housing for the unhoused, poor, and workers. 

6. The recent resignation of GoTriangle’s CEO raises questions about the future of the county and regional transit strategy. How do you see the future of transit in Raleigh when it comes to Bus Rapid Transit, microtransit, and commuter and regional rail projects? 

1. Transit should be built based on ridership numbers.

2. BRT is not impactful if the Transit Overlay District encourages development that pushes out people that actually use public transportation. 

3. The city should expand bus routes and increase the frequency of service before it considers regional rail. 

7. A common complaint from residents is that the city council doesn’t do enough public engagement, with the plan to relocate Red Hat Amphitheater being one recent example. Do you agree with this assessment? If so, what more should the city government and council do to engage residents with city business? 

1. Yes. 

2. The city should expand and fully fund the citizens advisory councils. 

3. City Councillors should have at least 2 public meetings per month to let people in affected areas know what is happening in the city that would affect them. 

4. More of an effort should be made to reach out to residents in regards to the city budget, available services, and resources of the city.

8. Downtown Raleigh has had a rough five years following the COVID pandemic with the transition to working from home and business owners reporting an increase in crime and other issues. Many see keeping Red Hat Amphitheater downtown as a positive step; what else does the city need to do to help downtown with its recovery and plan for its future? 

1. Red Hat Amphitheater should stay where it is. Closing South St would negatively impact people who live nearby, including the residents of Heritage Park. 

2. The only way that has been shown to reduce crime is to provide housing and services to those in need. 

9. Since 2012, the City of Raleigh has paid more than $4 million in settlements to 47 individuals, families, and estates related to RPD officer’s use of excessive force and other unconstitutional interactions. What are your thoughts on the current culture at RPD? For what changes would you advocate to improve the culture of policing in Raleigh, if any? 

1. The culture is in need of change. There have been at least 5 unarmed people murdered by the RPD in the last several years without consequences. There is racist and classist bias in traffic stops. RPD has been seen shaking hands with the Proud Boys and other fascist organizations. 

2. There needs to be a police oversight board with subpoena power and disciplinary power. 

3. The alternative crisis response unit should be fully funded and separate from the Police Department. 

4. The police should be trained primarily in de-escalation. 5. The majority of police do not need to carry lethal weapons. 6. Any armed police should be vetted, well trained, and controlled.

10. Some municipalities, such as Durham, have seen success with crisis response units that deploy trained workers to respond to non-violent behavioral health and quality of life calls for service. Should Raleigh consider such a crisis response program that’s NOT housed in the police department? 

Yes. 100%. 

11. The next city council will transition from two-year to four-year terms with staggered elections. What other changes, if any, should the city council make to how voters elect its members? Should any additional changes be put to voters in a referendum or should the council make those decisions? 

1. The change in the lengths of term should have been put to the voters in a referendum. 

2. Public funding of elections. This would make the election a contest of ideas, rather than a contest to raise the most money. The wealthy developers have an overly large advantage in being able to fund (buy) candidates that support the gentrification of the city. It is noteworthy that the Indy has endorsed most of the pro-gentrification candidates.