Full name: Chelsea Cook
Party affiliation: Democrat
Campaign website: www.chelseacookfordurham.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?
In January 2024, I was appointed unanimously by the current City Council to fill the vacant Ward III seat. In addition to my role on council, I have continued my work as an eviction defense lawyer in Durham. For almost 6 years, I have represented tenants facing housing insecurity, and I am proud to have recently moved to Duke Law, where I will be teaching and supervising students doing this same public interest legal work in the Durham Community.
My years of civil justice litigation practice have provided me with not only a clear understanding of how law is promulgated and applied, but also the skills needed to quickly comprehend and accurately convey complicated topics to those around me. Specifically, my knowledge of housing and tenants’ rights laws and my advocacy in this field have made me well suited to address and create policy to influence the top concerns faced by Durham residents, who consistently rank housing, affordability, and community safety as the most pressing issues in our city. Finally, I have spent years serving people in Durham who are low-income renters facing housing insecurity. Though I was not a member of their community, my clients shared with me their pain, struggles, and dreams, inviting me into their homes and introducing me to their loved ones. I am committed to approaching this work by holding sacred the trust so many have placed in me. In my time on council, I have brought this community-centered lens to every work session, meeting, and constituent interaction; I have asked tough questions, diligently researched and prepared for policy discussion, and have done my best to not only listen but really hear and raise residents’ concerns. I am committed to continuing to be thorough, transparent, and caring if elected to this esteemed council this November.
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 top 3 priorities are: 1) a Durham where all people have a place to live; 2) a Durham where everyone is safe; and 3) a Durham that is sustainable and green.
To further my priority of no one being without shelter, I will work with the County to provide both a day shelter, so unhoused neighbors have a safe place to store belongings, receive mail, charge devices, and meet with social workers, and more nighttime shelter options, creating spaces for safe parking or tents. Because, statistically, remaining in your home gives you a much higher chance of finding new housing, being employed, and staying out of the criminal legal system, I would prioritize coupling these shelter options with continued eviction diversion funding. To make housing more affordable, I plan to focus on incentivizing or funding 100% affordable housing developments, as opposed to relying solely on proffers as part of market-rate housing, along with continued funding for our first time homeowners assistance fund. Finally I hope to encourage creative and meaningful competition in rental structures to counter the price-fixing we are seeing locally and on a national scale.
To further my priority of no gun-related deaths, I will push to increase youth programming during after-school hours and over the summer. I also hope to work with DTCC and private-sector organizations to create true pathways to employment. This programming will be holistic in approach, giving our young people the skills, training, support, and hope they need to live fully here in Durham. I am encouraged watching other cities greatly reduce their violent crime by tackling the root causes – investing in young people and ensuring the community is housed, fed, and cared for.
Finally, I will prioritize protecting Durham’s natural resources in the rewrite of the UDO. Not only are our green spaces good for mental health, tourism, and the ecosystem, but also maintaining our tree canopy and natural waterways allows us to mitigate the impacts of climate change, making our city safer and more resilient in the long term.
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.
We have done several things that are vitally important this year including increasing employee wages, expanding HEART, funding two bond initiatives for streets and sidewalks and for parks, and continuing fare-free bus services. It is impossible to rank these, but, having discussed several in other questions, I will focus on the latter.
I am so proud to have been a strong advocate for the GoDurham buses remaining completely fare-free in fiscal year 2026. It is my intention to continue providing fare-free buses, mostly because the current ridership is overwhelmingly low-income and without any other transit options. Keeping our buses fare free is one way we can shift monetary burdens away from our low income residents, since we are restricted from doing this in other capacities, like taxes, by state law. It is my hope as well that fare-free buses attract more riders, lessening car-dependency, creating safer roads, and lightening Durham’s carbon footprint, all of which get us closer to our Vision Zero and Carbon Neutrality and Renewable Energy goals. Come ride the bus if you don’t already! You might see me (my route is the #1).
One decision I believe the city council should have handled differently is the vote in favor of Pickett Apartments, a project that was approved for rezoning in March 2025. The location of the site was severely problematic for many reasons. First, the lack of sidewalks or even a shoulder created dangerous conditions for pedestrians and bikers and meant that the bus stop, over a mile away, was completely inaccessible. All residents of the complex would be forced to rely on personal vehicles for transportation or risk being unsafe. Second, the wetland on the site and next to it serves as a unique haven for migrating birds and hosts important biodiversity. The development would certainly disrupt the wildlife of Sandy Creek and structures would be vulnerable to flooding in heavy rains. Constituents, neighbors, scientists, and even the City’s own Environmental Affairs Board members came to speak against the project or sent us correspondence detailing the detrimental impact, and our Planning Commission recommended denial. Though I usually vote in favor of the zoning requests that come before me, I did not believe that Durham was getting something more valuable than what we were giving up. Though it might have been a strong project in a safer, less environmentally sensitive area, I believe the city council should have denied the rezoning request.
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?
The city is somewhat limited in what we can do both because of preemption and because of the threat of retaliation, both of which are real concerns that we should take very seriously. However, city leaders have the power to demonstrate our values within our own systems, like ensuring we are fair and equitable as employers. Recently, we did just this by passing a 4th Amendment Workplace Resolution; I was proud to vote in favor of publicly upholding the constitutional protections of residents in our workplaces and city agencies. Elected officials also have the power of our voice, which can be used to amplify messages to the state or federal government and to disseminate correct information to our constituents quickly. This is a really scary and dangerous time for many people. I am listening to those impacted and allowing the most vulnerable to decide the appropriate level of risk tolerance, and I am prepared to stand firmly and loudly in support of our residents, no matter their immigration status.
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?
This is an important question. Though they did not increase in proportionality with the revaluation, taxes were increased overall this year by both the city and the county. I felt this was necessary to pay a living wage (in accordance with the city’s Durham Minimum Living Wage calculations) and to ensure our debt services from the two bonds for which constituents voted to approve in our last election, but I am uninterested in continuing to increase taxes. Instead, we, as your elected officials, will have to take a serious look at what services we find most vital and what services we think can be cut, all while ensuring our budget is balanced and our residents’ needs are met. Since being appointed to council in 2024, I have been asking for an accounting of yearly investments that may not serve our current strategies. I also plan to work closely with our colleagues at the county to find overlaps or inefficiencies in our dual government systems. Finally, the manager has done a reorganizing of several departments within the city which I hope will allow staff to work more effectively and economically towards our goals.
If you are experiencing any hardship in paying your taxes, please visit www.dconc.gov/tax-administration to find tax relief programs. A pdf called “which program is right for me?” lays out qualifications and remedies of each of the programs. Though tax revaluation is done by the County, the City also contributes to tax relief.
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?
Though the major drivers of climate change are more federal or even international, mitigation of climate change impacts and long-term sustainability are well within municipal power and control. In these times of regularly occurring “once-in-a-lifetime” storms and weather patterns (and, sadly, of federal deregulation), we must focus on these mitigation techniques to ensure our community stays safe. First, I believe Durham should prioritize environmental protections in the UDO rewrite – increasing tree coverage requirements, adding regulations around sedimentary water pollution, and requiring public park or green space dedication for new developments. Unfortunately, the movement has been towards fewer regulations on development which will make our community more vulnerable to these flooding disasters.
Second, the Environmental Affairs Board recently developed a decision-making tool to provide a framework to ensure all decisions made align with the City’s sustainability goals. The tool incorporates the City’s Carbon Neutrality and Renewable Energy Action Plan goals for lower greenhouse gas emissions, the Comprehensive Plan’s goals around environmental justice, and highlights what types of impacts the decision will have (water/air quality, heat islands, flooding, habitat fragmentation, or biodiversity) and where. I believe this framework should be used in all decisions, from rezoning proposals to seemingly small contracts, to allow decision-makers to have a concise, consistent picture of each of our decision’s impact.
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 is where we grow in ways that are truly affordable, environmentally sound, and culturally aware, all while accounting for increases in population. We are in a time of competing narratives as though growth is completely black and white, but the reality is that both anti-development and complete deregulation are extremist positions, while true sustainability requires nuance and intentionality. Sustainable growth also necessitates local governments retaining the few tools granted by the state and using those tools to incentivize growth that aligns with Durham’s values. If these few levers are removed, the power to determine the way Durham grows is shifted away from Durhamites and into the hands of developers, who are not accountable to the public.
Several cities across the country have made smart decisions that Durham could emulate. For example, Richmond, VA has an Office of Sustainability which has adopted the RVAgreen 2050 Plan. This Climate Equity Action Plan considers five pathways to sustainability including: 1) buildings and energy; 2) community priorities; 3) an environment that is biodiverse and supports human well-being; 4) transportation and mobility; and 5) waste reduction and recovery. These pathways create a framework for city growth and progress that keep in mind the historic impacts of environmental racism, the health and cost impacts of heat and air pollution, and the growing likelihood of extreme weather events.
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?
This year, I voted in favor of the requested Business Improvement District tax which is managed by Downtown Durham, Inc. (DDI) to continue funding initiatives like the Ambassadors Program and other design and strategy work that DDI is doing on behalf of its residents – businesses and individuals alike. I have worked closely with DDI and pushed for the policies they have sought, including proudly supporting a parking discount for employees and presenting a homelessness strategy budget request in the latest budget cycle. I look forward to voting for the city to adopt the Downtown Durham Blueprint for 2035, which will help focus infrastructure investment and design changes for downtown.
I have expressed interest in a study of the Downtown loop so that information on possible restructuring happens alongside our Central Park renovation (currently at the community engagement stage). Ideally, we capture city land that’s not being efficiently used while creating a cohesive, non-car oriented downtown (something like the Wharf in D.C.). Activating city-owned spaces and encouraging museums, interactive installments, events like Biscuits & Banjos, and (hopefully!) a grocery store would increase foot traffic and benefit not only this business district but also all of Durham through increased sales taxes.
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?
In addition to my belief that housing is a human right, we also know that places with better housing security are healthier, safer, and more economically sound. The homelessness strategy plan is something I have been pushing for since I was appointed to council in 2024 and was one of my budgetary requests during our most recent cycle. I am excited that we are moving forward with the study and should have actionable items in a few months, and I look forward to supporting changes that are recommended. However, while the strategy is in process, it feels important to me to address the current crisis – we have long waiting lists for our few shelters and therefore have residents who are restricted to hotels, couches, vehicles, or the elements. I have been in conversation with the County, community safety, and nonprofits as well as unhoused neighbors to come up with specific, meaningful short term solutions for providing safety and resources for this population. I proposed non-congregant and other alternative shelters which were not included in the city or county budget, but which were low barrier methods that could have addressed some of the needs. I am grateful that the County did issue its request for proposals on a day shelter, which is another solution I and others have been demanding for our residents.
In a time when costs are increasing and federal safety nets are lessening, we will continue to see a growing trend towards homelessness, particularly in some of our most vulnerable populations, like our elders who are disproportionately at risk of losing their homes. It is vital, therefore, that we not only have the resources to aid folks who are unhoused, but also that we invest seriously in diverting homelessness. Data shows that eviction defense is the most cost-effective way of doing this, and it is my intention to continue funding that needed resource while pushing for the County to contribute money for rental assistance. We must also be working towards permanent solutions for housing so that people can move out of temporary units and free up space for others who may need it.
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?
Importantly, there is not a shortage of housing but rather a shortage of affordable housing. Durham has an extremely high vacancy rate, especially in the downtown area. A simple solution, like increasing supply alone, is tempting, but historically has not worked and has led to the displacement of already cost-burdened residents. If we want to protect Durhamites while ensuring we grow in a way that sufficiently houses the people moving to our city, we must be more nuanced and more creative. The city can and should revisit our density bonuses in the new Unified Development Code (or “UDO” – the document governing land use and zoning that is currently being re-written) to make density in specific places more attractive. We can and should require more of developers, who are investing heavily in anticipation of Durham’s continued growth, in terms of public land dedication and capital improvements. During zoning decisions, we can and should demonstrate willingness to follow our Comprehensive Plan – Durham’s guideline for growth that gets us closer to the goal of a 15-minute walkable city. Perhaps most importantly, we should work to encourage and invest in residential developments that are 100% affordable so that we are not fighting for scraps of a few affordable units per hundreds of market rate townhouses.
A note on affordability – it doesn’t just mean low prices on the underlying unit, though that is part of it. Affordability also entails access to real transit options (as opposed to car-centric sprawl), functional, safe infrastructure, adequate city and county services whose capacities track population growth, and nearby parks, childcare, schools, healthcare, and jobs. The price must take into account habitability and safety of the unit, extra fees, such as HOAs or service charges, and environmental factors such as heat islands and flood vulnerability, all of which have associated costs which are passed down to buyers and renters alike.
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?
Any gun-related fatality or injury is one too many, and it is my fervent goal to become a city where there are no gun deaths – something I absolutely believe we can achieve. I am so glad that violent crimes are down, but I also understand why safety continues to be one of residents’ top concerns. I believe that taking care of people and ensuring their basic needs are met will reduce crime, and I will always support a holistic, person-centered approach.
While we can always do better, there are some things we are doing well as a city. This year, in response to community requests and my proposed budget item, the City expanded capacity for our HEART program (unarmed crisis response) during high-volume call times. Last year, we incorporated a market study to increase city employee pay, which is beginning to address the high vacancy rate in our police department. We also continued investment in eviction diversion programs which is crime reduction, given what we know of the correlation between housing insecurity and violence. However, I know we can do more. I hope to facilitate meaningful conversations around the root causes of violence and support the organizations and individuals already investing in young people and families. I also want to see better pathways to gainful employment so that our Durham youths have a real shot at being economically stable in their lifetimes. Finally, I plan to push for increased funding for youth programming, summer camps, and internships, providing wrap-around services for our young people, ensuring they have access to counseling, mentorship, art, and spaces to play.
12) If there are other issues you want to discuss, please do so here.
I am so proud of the ways I have and will continue to represent this community. I believe that representatives should be well-informed and transparent, so I have done my best to show up authentically, to diligently prepare for every meeting and resident interaction, and to make decisions based on compassion and deep care. I am honored to have served Durham as a city councilperson for the last year and a half, and I hope you’ll join me in envisioning and working towards a Durham where people not only survive but also can and DO thrive.
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