Carrboro Town Council: Eliazar Posada

Name as it appears on the ballot: Eliazar Posada

Age: 31 

Party affiliation: Democrat

Campaign website: eliazarforcarrboro.com

Occupation & employer: Organizing Director Equality NC 

Years lived in Carrboro: 7

1) In 300 words or less, please give us—and our readers—your elevator pitch: Why are you running? Why should voters entrust you with this position? What are your priorities, and what would you want to see the town council do differently or better over the course of your term?

As the son of working class immigrants, I learned early in life the importance of representation, especially within communities who historically have no voice. I have dedicated my professional and personal life to make spaces for everyone. I have dedicated my time on the council to doing just that, representing historical marginalized communities and ensuring that their voices are heard.

My priorities while on the town council revolve around three things: Affordable Housing, Transportation Equity, and Equality for All. I strongly believe that decisions made by the council must reflect the needs of the entire community. I will continue to work with my colleagues and town staff to better engage all sectors of Carrboro. I will continue to do the work of ensuring that we welcome and celebrate the diversity in our town. I am running for re-election because I want to continue this work and because I continue to believe that together we can make a Carrboro home for all.

2) Please identify the three of the most pressing issues Carrboro currently faces and how you believe the town should address them. 

Affordable Housing; Affordable housing should be at the top of our priorities. As a town we must find creative ways to build new, and sustain current, affordable housing units. We must evaluate our land use ordinances and improve our zoning policies to encourage new development and opportunities for affordable housing, and encourage new and diverse housing. We must pursue new apartment developments, improve existing units, build tiny homes, support manufactured homes and home ownership programs. Making housing affordable should not be our only goal in addressing housing in Carrboro. I believe we should use our resources to improve our town so that our communities can live, work, and play in Carrboro. By investing in our town’s Affordable Housing Fund, creating partnerships with landlords and developers we can support our neighborhoods in making any improvements needed, and ensure that Carrboro remains the best place to call home. 

Equality for All; Carrboro is a growing and diversifying town that strives to be welcoming to all. We have the collective responsibility to engage all faces of our community to ensure our town is a home for all members of our community. Together we can make our town boards and commission more representative and inclusive, expand the town’s reach to inform and engage our community, and work to find solutions to address our community’s growing needs. 

I am from this community, have served this community, and am a reflection of the ways in which this community has invested in the leadership of young people of color. I know we can achieve real progress by working together with local leaders, businesses and nonprofits, to build equitable community engagement where we can all thrive. 

Equitable Public Transit; Public Transit is vital to our communities in Carrboro. The town must expand and ensure equitable access to bus routes, bike lanes, walkways and greenways to ensure all our community can interact with our town in a safe and secure way. Carrboro’s parks, downtown, businesses and restaurants are wonderful places and ways our community can engage with the town and each other, yet not all of our communities have equitable and safe access. As we move forward and grow we must invest in areas with limited or unsafe connectivity to all our Carrboro has to offer.  

So much work has been done over the years to improve access to transit systems, and I would like the opportunity to continue to work to improve that access.  I want to work with my colleagues and community partners to ensure  that we continue to improve access to public transit for those who need it most. Carrboro is a beautiful place to walk, bike and bus into and around town, let’s make sure everyone in our town can do that safely. 

3) What’s the best or most important thing the town council has done in the past year? Alternatively, name a decision you believe the council got wrong or an issue you believe the town should have handled differently. Please explain your answer.

 In my opinion, the most important thing the Carrboro Town Council has done in the past year is the passing of the 203 Project, adopting the Carrboro Comprehensive Plan and re-engaging the community on the Bolin Creek Phase 3 & 4. These decisions not only bring much needed movement and resources to the residents of Carrboro, but it creates a path forward. The 203 Project will be a staple in supporting local business, our families, young people, students and nonprofits. The Comprehensive Plan will guide our town over the next 20+ years to ensure we are reaching the needs of our town and address key issues. 

Yet Carrboro has some work to do.  The fact that the council continues to elevate loud voices in town is an issue I would like our council to address.  I believe that in many cases the loudest and the most privileged voices in town have dominated the actions of the town council. The Bolin Creek Phase 3 & 4 public engagement is a prime example of who this has played out in the past, or the recent issues with our Westwood Cemetery.  I have been working with some colleagues on council to move the council business forward and take as many voices to the community as possible. I am excited to see the change on council, and working to get the right people on the council, so that we can ensure the decision and action taken at the council level reflect the whole community. 

4) What prior experience makes you qualified for and passionate about the town council and its duties? What made you seek this position?

Since before I was elected last year, I have served in committees, boards and commissions for local governments across the triangle, led efforts to educate and register voters, worked with political campaigns, held leadership roles in the North Carolina Democratic Party and served on many Boards and Commissions for both our local government and nonprofit organizations. I know that the decision made on council impacts our community deeply and I want to ensure we are working to make Carrboro a home for all. 

Below are recent examples of my service. 

Current Boards of Directors

Enlace Latino NC – Chair | 2022 – PRESENT

Women Leading 4 Justice and Wellness – Co-chair | 2022 – PRESENT

The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill/Carrboro | 2019 – PRESENT 

Previous Boards of Directors and Commissions

PORCH Carrboro & Chapel Hill | 2019 – 2023

Big Bold Ideas – Affordable Housing Committee | 2021 – 2022

Big Bold Ideas – Steering Committee | 2020 – 2021 

Current Government/Civic Boards 

Governor Cooper’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs | Appointed Oct. 2023 – PRESENT

North Carolina Democratic Party – State Executive Committee | 2020 – PRESENT

Orange County Democratic Party – County Executive Committee | 2019 – PRESENT

County to County – Latino Engagement Team – Chair | 2019 – PRESENT

5) As with most places in the Triangle, Carrboro is grappling with issues related to affordable housing. How would you like to see the town approach affordability issues over the next few years? 

Expanding and creating new affordable housing in Carrboro is vital. Carrboro is a beautiful place to live, but it is expensive. Finding affordable housing is becoming more difficult every year with rent prices continuing to increase, the insecurity around manufactured homes in the area and the need for more multi family housing. As a town we must find creative ways to build new, and sustain current, affordable housing units, evaluate our land use ordinances and improve our zoning to build new development and opportunities for affordable housing, and encourage new and diverse housing. We must pursue new apartment developments, improve existing units, build tiny homes, support manufactured homes and home ownership programs. Making housing affordable should not be our only goal in addressing housing in Carrboro. I believe we should use our resources to improve our town so that our communities can live, work, and play in Carrboro. By investing in our town’s Affordable Housing Fund, creating partnerships with landlords and developers we can support our neighborhoods in making any improvements needed, and ensure that Carrboro remains the best place to call home. 

The town has recently approved plans and projects with local nonprofits to add affordable housing units in our town and is currently reviewing the Orange County manufactured home plan. I want to seek more opportunities to partner with nonprofits and developers and review our land use policies to encourage diverse housing. 

6) What should the Town of Carrboro do to increase the community’s engagement with local government?

Since I joined the Council I have worked with Town Staff to create and implement a Language Equity Plan.  This plan would set policy in place to respond to the needs of many in our community whose primary language is not English. From the first day of my service, I have worked with staff to move this plan forward and we have been successful in receiving funding to continue the work.  The funding the town received will allow us to study what languages are most spoken in town and where those impacted the service delivery in our town.  I want to continue to push our town to engage with everyone and meet them where they are.  I will continue to work with my colleagues and town staff to increase our community engagement and hear diverse voices from all socioeconomic status, races and languages. 

7) For those who rent or own homes in Carrboro already, how should the town and county address tax revaluations that increase property taxes and rising rents, particularly for residents in public housing and those low-income residents who face displacement? 

As a renter myself, I have first hand knowledge of the impact of the continued increase of housing cost. I want to find ways for the town to provide assistance to those facing displacement, especially anyone who is still suffering from the economic impacts of the pandemic. I would also be in favor of finding ways to reduce property taxes and its impact on the most vulnerable in our community, that won’t happen overnight but it is important to find ways to reduce the tax burden of our residents while not impacting our ability to provide essential services. This means we must diversify our tax base by creating economic development which will grow Carrboros ability to provide services and review ways of providing residents with tax relief. 

8) Should Carrboro move forward with plans to develop a greenway running alongside Bolin Creek? Please explain your answer. 

The Bolin Creek Greenway Conceptual Master Plan has been in place for over a decade, and I believe this question has been unanswered long enough. I support the creekside alignment for a few reasons. There is already built infrastructure and plans in place to work on the easement. We can work with them and do minimal damage to the surrounding area.  Most importantly we need to ensure all folks in our town have equitable access.  Currently the trail is not equally acceptable for all members of our community, and I believe it should be a goal of everyone in our community to ensure everyone has access to the beautiful trails Carrboro has to offer. 

9) How should the Town of Carrboro encourage more walking, biking, and public transit use? 

Equitable public Transit continues to be vital to our communities in Carrboro and one of my top priorities. I want to see the town expand and ensure equitable access to bus routes, bike lanes, walkways and greenways to ensure all our community can interact with our town in a safe and secure way. Carrboro’s parks, downtown, businesses and restaurants are an important part of living in Carrboro and great spaces for our community to engage with the town and each other, yet not all of our communities have equitable and safe access. As we move forward and grow we must invest in areas with limited or unsafe connectivity to all our Carrboro has to offer.  

While on Council I have supported efforts to fund our bike plan and would like to see our Carrboro Connects Comprehensive plan’s Transportation and Mobility strategies implemented. I want Carrboro to continue to be a bikeable and walkable town, but with an eye to equitable access.  As we look at our bus routes, bike lanes, greenways, sidewalks and more we must ensure that anyone no matter their income, physical ability or address can get around town without the use of a car in a safe and secure way.

10) What role does Carrboro have in developing the Greene Tract in partnership with Chapel Hill and Orange County? How do you think that land should be developed? What are your priorities for the property?

I believe that the Greene Tract would be a great opportunity for Carrboro to pursue our goals. I would support the development of affordable housing that would benefit our community and ensure to preserve part of the land for green spaces and recreation. Since 1984 the county and towns have been considering in which ways or if there should be development in the Greene Tract, I am in support of the latest plan for development, I was able to recently vote to move forward with the process to evaluate and create a plan of development. I believe developing the Greene Tract and creating more housing stock is the right move forward. 

11) If there are other issues you want to discuss, please do so here.

Carrboro is a town that strives to make space for everyone. I love Carrboro because of how openly it has loved me,  an openly gay millennial Latino and elected me to last year. I want to continue to do the work of the community. 

My career has focused on ensuring historically marginalized and underrepresented communities are heard and have a seat at the table. As a son of immigrant farmworkers and part of several marginalized communities, I have many unique experiences and lessons to the council.  

On the council, I will continue to work to ensure when decisions are made at the council table, they are a reflection of the entire community. Learn more about me and chip in what you can at EliazarforCarrboro.com.  Together we can make Carrboro a home for all.