Full name: Kara Foster

Party affiliation: Democrat

Campaign website: www.karaforcouncil.com

I1) 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 Holly Springs town council?

I’m running for Holly Springs Town Council because I believe our town deserves thoughtful leadership that puts people first. Holly Springs is growing quickly, and with that growth comes both challenges and opportunities. My goal is to ensure that we grow in a way that strengthens our sense of community, keeps our town affordable and livable for everyday families, and protects the unique character that drew us here in the first place.

As a small business owner, eye doctor, and mom of three, I understand how important it is to balance family, work, and community. For more than a decade, I’ve cared for families in Holly Springs through my optometry practice, where I’ve built a reputation for listening, problem-solving, and delivering practical solutions. That’s the same approach I’ll bring to town leadership.

Voters can trust me to do the homework, ask the hard questions, and focus on long-term sustainability rather than short-term gains. I know what it takes to make a business succeed, how to stretch a budget, and how to lead a team, all skills directly transferable to serving our residents.

My prior experience includes building a thriving business from the ground up, leading a nonprofit that provides eye care locally and internationally, and serving as president of a statewide volunteer organization. In each role, I’ve brought people together around shared goals and turned vision into action.

I’m not running to be a politician, I’m running to be a neighbor you can count on. With your support, we can make sure Holly Springs grows stronger, more connected, and continues to be the kind of place where families thrive.

2) What would your priorities be as a member of the town council? Please identify three of the most pressing issues Holly Springs currently faces and how you believe the town should address them. 

As Holly Springs continues to grow, my priorities focus on keeping our town livable, connected, and community-driven. The three most pressing issues we face are:

1. Walkability, Connectivity, and Traffic Reduction
Traffic on NC 55 and feeder roads is the number one frustration for residents, with commute times up nearly 30% over the last decade. One of the most effective ways to reduce congestion is to make it easier for people to walk or bike safely for short trips. Today, many of our sidewalks and greenways don’t connect, forcing residents into cars even for errands within a mile of home. I will push for a long-term plan that connects neighborhoods to schools, parks, and businesses, improving safety, reducing traffic, and making our town healthier and more vibrant.

2. Support for Local Business
Small businesses are the backbone of Holly Springs. They create jobs, keep dollars circulating locally, and give our town its character. As a small business owner myself, I understand the challenges of starting and sustaining a business here. I’ll advocate for policies that make it easier for local entrepreneurs to thrive—like reducing red tape, encouraging mixed-use development, and ensuring our growth includes space for locally owned shops and restaurants.

3. Balanced Growth and Housing
Our population has more than doubled in the last 15 years, but housing supply and infrastructure haven’t kept pace. Holly Springs needs more attainable housing options so teachers, first responders, and young families can afford to live here. At the same time, new development must contribute to infrastructure improvements, so growth strengthens rather than strains our town.

By focusing on connectivity, local business, and balanced growth, we can ensure Holly Springs remains a place where families and neighbors truly thrive.

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

The best thing the Holly Springs Town Council has done this past year is invest in our community spaces, especially through improvements to our parks and the cultural center. Projects like expanding our greenways and adding new seating in the cultural center show a commitment to both recreation and the arts, two areas that make Holly Springs not just a place to live, but a place to belong. These investments also support walkability, giving residents safer, healthier ways to get around town, and they create opportunities for local businesses to benefit from increased community activity.

One area I believe the town could have handled differently is the pace and structure of new development approvals. Too often, large residential projects are greenlit without fully addressing how the added traffic, school demand, or strain on water and sewer will be managed. Growth is not the problem, unbalanced growth is. By ensuring infrastructure and community services keep pace, and by requiring more mixed-use, walkable designs with space for local businesses, we could avoid many of the frustrations residents are feeling today, particularly around traffic congestion and limited retail options.

Going forward, I believe the council should focus on a “measure twice, cut once” approach, taking the time to ensure each development not only meets immediate housing needs but also contributes to a long-term vision of a connected, thriving town where families can walk safely, shop locally, and feel proud to call Holly Springs home.

4) President Trump is working to ramp up deportations and curtail visas. At the same time, the state legislature has passed laws requiring agencies to cooperate with ICE. What do you think the town council can or should do to ensure safe, welcoming communities for immigrants in light of these policies?

Immigration policies are set at the federal and state level, but here in Holly Springs, we decide what kind of community we want to be. I believe our town should be a place where every family feels safe, respected, and valued, regardless of where they come from.

Immigrant families are an essential part of Holly Springs. They strengthen our schools, open businesses, contribute to our economy, and enrich the cultural fabric of our community. When people feel unsafe or unwelcome, not only do those families suffer, but the whole town loses.

As a council member, I would work to:

Ensure town programs, services, and events are inclusive and accessible to all.

Support communication and language access so families can fully participate in community life.

Partner with schools, nonprofits, and faith organizations that provide resources and support to immigrant families.

Build trust between residents and local government, making sure public safety is about protecting our neighbors, not dividing them.

At its heart, Holly Springs is a community built on connection and care. Our role as leaders is to set the tone: to create a town where every neighbor belongs and where families—no matter their background, have the opportunity to thrive.

5) 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 this summer. How would you like the town council to address climate resilience, particularly flooding? 

The floods we’ve seen across the Triangle are a reminder that climate change is no longer a distant concern, it’s impacting our communities right now. Holly Springs must plan for resilience, not just reaction.

I believe the council should prioritize three areas:

Smarter Development: Too often, new construction paves over natural flood buffers. We need stricter stormwater management requirements, more green infrastructure, and development that preserves wetlands and tree canopy. Growth must be designed with resilience in mind, so we don’t pass flooding problems onto future residents.

Infrastructure Investment: Our stormwater systems, culverts, and drainage need consistent upgrades to handle heavier rainfall. The cost of prevention is far less than the cost of cleanup after a disaster.

Green Solutions: Expanding parks, greenways, and natural buffers doesn’t just build community, it also absorbs stormwater and reduces flood risk. Walkability and climate resilience can go hand-in-hand when we design our town around connected green spaces.

Finally, resilience requires collaboration. Holly Springs should partner with regional leaders, state agencies, and nonprofits to secure funding and share best practices.

I see climate resilience as both a safety issue and an opportunity, to protect families, safeguard property, and create a town that is healthier, greener, and more sustainable for generations to come.

6) Federal funding cuts this year have hit the Triangle particularly hard, from cancelled 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 Holly Springs Town Council can prioritize competing funding needs, close funding gaps, and balance the financial burden on residents?

As a doctor and small business owner, I see every day how financial stress impacts families. I’ve had patients in tears over layoffs or cuts to benefits, worried about how they’ll keep food on the table or pay their bills. Those conversations stay with me, and they’re a big reason I’m running for town council.

When federal or state funding falls short, local leaders have to make tough choices. For me, the priority must always be protecting the core things that make Holly Springs a safe and livable community, public safety, infrastructure, and access to parks and programs that bring people together. At the same time, we have to be smart stewards of tax dollars. That means:

Setting clear priorities so residents know where their money is going and why.

Seeking partnerships and grants whenever possible, so the town isn’t carrying the full burden alone.

Encouraging responsible growth that expands our tax base with local businesses and mixed-use development, rather than relying only on homeowners to shoulder costs.

I believe budgets reflect values. By listening to residents and focusing on long-term sustainability, we can balance the financial burden while still investing in the kind of community we want Holly Springs to be, a place where families feel secure, supported, and hopeful about the future.

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 Holly Springs?

To me, sustainable growth means planning for today without sacrificing tomorrow. It’s about making sure every new development strengthens our community instead of straining it. That means requiring infrastructure like roads, schools, water, and public safety to keep pace with housing. It also means designing neighborhoods that are walkable, connected, and include green space, so we’re not just building homes but building community.

Sustainable growth also protects affordability and opportunity. A healthy mix of housing, single family, townhomes, and multifamily, ensures that teachers, first responders, young families, and seniors can live in Holly Springs, not just those who can afford the highest price point. Finally, sustainable growth prioritizes local business, because a strong local economy keeps dollars circulating here at home.

Two places I look to for inspiration are Cary, NC and Greenville, SC. Cary has paired rapid growth with strong investments in greenways, mixed-use developments, and infrastructure. Greenville has successfully revitalized its downtown with walkability, small business support, and public spaces that attract residents and visitors alike. Both examples show how a town can grow while preserving character, supporting local business, and making walkability part of the plan rather than an afterthought. Holly Springs has the opportunity to take those lessons and apply them in a way that reflects our unique identity, ensuring growth makes our town stronger, not just bigger.

8) Holly Springs is one of the only towns that has not adopted Wake County’s non-discrimination ordinance, which protects residents from discrimination on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin, and more. Would you support the adoption of the ordinance? Please explain your position.

Yes, I would support Holly Springs adopting the Wake County non-discrimination ordinance. Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected, and welcome in our community, and this ordinance affirms those values.

As a small business owner in Apex, I was directly affected when that town adopted the NDO. And to be honest, it didn’t affect my business at all. What it did was send a clear message that Apex is a welcoming community where people of all backgrounds can live, work, and thrive. My patients and staff come from all walks of life, and treating them with dignity and fairness has always been at the heart of what I do.

For Holly Springs, adopting the NDO would not be about creating unnecessary regulation, but about aligning our policies with our values. It would show that we are a town where families feel safe, businesses are inclusive, and everyone has the opportunity to belong. I believe that’s the kind of community people want to call home, and it’s the kind of town I want my children to grow up in.

9) In what ways should Holly Springs work to promote economic development? What are your goals for Holly Springs’ downtown and what does the town need to do to achieve those goals?

Economic development in Holly Springs should start with strengthening what makes our town unique, our people, our small businesses, and our sense of community. Too often, “economic development” gets framed only as attracting big outside corporations. While those jobs can matter, long-term success comes from supporting local entrepreneurs, creating spaces where businesses can thrive, and building the kind of town where people want to live, work, and spend their weekends.

My goals for downtown Holly Springs are to make it a true gathering place—walkable, vibrant, and full of locally owned shops and restaurants. A thriving downtown gives residents more reasons to stay local, supports our tax base, and makes Holly Springs a destination for visitors.

To achieve this, the town should:

Invest in walkability and connectivity, ensuring sidewalks, crosswalks, and greenways link neighborhoods directly to downtown.

Encourage mixed-use development, so that housing, retail, dining, and green space are integrated, creating a steady flow of people and activity.

Provide support for small businesses, including reducing red tape, offering resources for startups, and ensuring affordable commercial space is part of new projects.

Continue improving community amenities – parks, cultural spaces, and public events, that draw residents and visitors downtown.

Economic development is not just about growth in numbers, but about building a local economy that reflects who we are. By focusing on local business, walkability, and vibrant community spaces, we can make downtown Holly Springs the beating heart of our town.

10) With major companies expanding and investing in Holly Springs, including Genentech, Fujifilm and Amgen, the town will need more housing to support its workforce. What should the town do in order to provide this needed housing, especially for lower income families who will be working in service jobs in these facilities?

The expansion of major employers like Genentech, Fujifilm, and Amgen is a tremendous opportunity for Holly Springs, but it also comes with a responsibility: ensuring those who help power our community, whether they’re lab technicians or service staff, can afford to live here.

Right now, Holly Springs home prices are soaring. As of July 2025, the median home sale price hit $690,000, up an astonishing 25.9% year-over-year 
Redfin. This kind of cost growth puts homeownership, and even affordable rentals, out of reach for many working families.

To meet this challenge, the town should:

Encourage a diverse range of housing types, including townhomes, duplexes, and affordable multifamily units, not just high-cost single-family homes.

Require attainable housing components in new developments, particularly those near job centers and future transit routes, so housing supply better matches workforce needs.

Partner with developers and nonprofits to fund and build workforce housing, enabling teachers, service workers, and lab assistants to live within the community they serve.

Invest in walkability, greenways, and transit connections, allowing residents to reach workplaces without adding to congestion and supporting affordability by reducing transportation burdens.

By planning proactively and thoughtfully, we can ensure that economic growth doesn’t leave essential workers behind. Holly Springs can – and should -be a town where families who fill our labs, kitchens, and clinics have a real place to call home.

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

At the heart of my campaign is a simple belief: a happier, healthier community is possible, and Holly Springs can be a model for how to build it. As a doctor, small business owner, and mom, I see every day how health, housing, and community connection shape people’s lives. Families are happiest when they feel secure in their homes, supported by their neighbors, and confident that their town is planning for the future.

For me, a healthier Holly Springs means more than just physical wellness, it means walkable neighborhoods that reduce traffic and connect families, local businesses that keep our economy vibrant and unique, parks and greenways that support both recreation and flood resilience, and attainable housing that allows teachers, service workers, and seniors to stay in the community they love.

I believe Holly Springs has the chance to set an example for other towns across North Carolina. We can show that rapid growth doesn’t have to come at the cost of community character, and that thoughtful planning can balance housing, infrastructure, and green space. We can prove that investing in people, through inclusive policies, safe streets, and opportunities for connection, pays dividends in stronger families, healthier residents, and a more resilient economy.

My vision is for Holly Springs to be not just a great place to live today, but a model others look to tomorrow. Together, we can create a town that leads with care, grows with purpose, and inspires other communities to follow.

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