Name: Jared Scott Ollison
Age: 51
Party affiliation: Democrat
Campaign website: https://jaredollisonforraleigh.com/
Occupation & employer: Retired Law Enforcement Officer / State of NC
Years lived in the area: 50
1. Given the direction of Raleigh’s government, would you say things are on the right course? If not, what specific changes will you advocate for if elected?
I would say things are not on the right track. First and foremost, I would advocate for the public to be allotted more speaking time at the council meetings to be certain that their voices are heard and not ignored. Second, I would raise a flag when other council members don’t uphold city obligations and promise like they failed to do in the recent North Hills zoning case. In short, I would return the power to the people, not the developers.
2. If you are a candidate for a district seat, please identify your priorities for your district. If you are an at-large candidate or running for mayor, please identify the three most pressing issues the city faces.
As a candidate for District-C, my priorities are affordable housing, affordable home ownership opportunities, combating gentrification and homelessness.
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?
As the former Director of Detention Services for the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, I am well-documented as an advocate for human rights issues. All of the issues I have addressed fall under human rights and basic decency.
4. Raleigh voters will have the option to support a $101.5 million housing bond and a $101.5 million transportation bond this fall. Do you support the bonds? Why or why not?
Yes, I support the bonds. Housing and transportation initiatives are vital to a thriving city. Raleigh is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. We must continue to invest in adequate housing and transportation to continue to be a growing and welcoming city for our current citizens, and our future neighbors and friends.
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 caused by Tropical Storm Chantal in July 2025. How would you like Raleigh to address climate resilience, particularly flooding?
Raleigh should continue to invest in green energy to help thwart climate change. Raleigh needs to continue to adjust its infrastructure to re-enforce flood control measures in the affected communities.
6. After a decade of planning, Raleigh scrapped a proposal for the Six Forks Road widening project for bike and pedestrian lanes that would have been financed by transportation bonds that voters had already approved. In southeast Raleigh, construction on Phase 1 of the city’s Bus Rapid Transit system was delayed two years after the city initially failed to attract a bidder. How can city leaders ensure Raleigh keeps its commitments to voters and taxpayers and keeps projects on track from planning through construction, as well as within their budgets?
I am appalled that the Raleigh leadership has failed to keep its commitments which is one of the many reasons why I’m running for the District-C seat. The leadership can keep its commitments by adhering to the voters and taxpayers’ concerns and not the developer’s concerns. Additionally, the leadership can ensure projects stay on track and within budget by seeing the commitments through in a timely manner before costs change, unlike they did with the Six Forks Road project.
7. Last fall, Customs and Border Protection agents carried out immigration enforcement operations in Raleigh with no official warning to elected officials or the public. At the same time the Trump administration is working to ramp up deportations and curtail visas, while the legislature has passed laws requiring cooperation with ICE. What do you think Raleigh officials can or should do to ensure safe, welcoming communities for immigrants in light of these policies?
Raleigh leaders should meet with immigrant communities and listen to their concerns. They should work closely with them to develop an alert system that notifies immigrants of ICE enforcement activities within the Raleigh area. Raleigh should also work closely with the immigrant communities to assist them with their citizenship or legal residency goals.
8. Many local municipalities, including Cary, Durham, and Apex, have introduced moratoriums on new data centers in order to study their impacts and develop regulatory policies. Should Raleigh consider a data center moratorium like its neighbors or should it continue to evaluate proposals for data center projects that require the city’s approval on a case by case basis?
Yes, Raleigh should implement a moratorium on data centers. Recently, on September 22, 2026 at approximately 8pm my opponent said (on video) that he would not have a problem with the proposed Jones Sausage Rd. data center project in District -C. He stated this at the Central Raleigh CAC meeting that was held at the Tarboro Rd. Community Center. When I’m elected, I will not vote in support of any data centers inside the Raleigh city limits or its ETJ.
9. Last year, the Raleigh Police Department came under scrutiny for its handling of the investigation into the crash that killed Tyrone Mason. Additionally, a former senior officer was fired in May 2025; it was later revealed that the officer conducted illegal searches. How do you think the city should work to build trust between residents and RPD and what role do you think the council should have in overseeing the culture of the police department?
The Raleigh Police Department should place some emphasis on hiring officers who are native to the area. When people see officers from their communities patrolling their communities, they generally feel safer and trust them more. In addition, Officers in general should be allotted more community service hours to work in the local youth centers, food banks, and churches in an effort to benefit the community and build trust.
The city council should have a hands-on approach to changing the culture of the department. They should hold the city manager and the police chief directly responsible for creating and maintaining a culture of inclusiveness and trust.
10. How should the city of Raleigh address homelessness encampments? Have city initiatives such as the Bringing Neighbors Home pilot program been successful in your view? What more should the city do to address unsheltered homelessness?
Raleigh should be dedicated to engaging the persons living in the encampments. City council members should routinely visit the encampments to better understand the needs of those affected persons. The Bringing Neighbors Home pilot program has enjoyed some success, but the city’s policies and lack of adequate affordable housing initiatives erase the gains made by the program as more people become homeless.
In addition to creating more affordable housing opportunities, the city should bolster their efforts by creating more temporary family-oriented shelter spaces.
11. As the city adds to its housing stock, how should it continue to address affordability? Do you have ideas on ways the city can work with housing developers or property owners to keep housing affordable for residents?
The city can address some of its affordability issues by reducing its tax rate and better managing the resources provided by its taxpaying citizens. The tax rate is one of many factors that are driving long-term residents out of their homes, contributing to the city’s affordability crisis. The city should continue to partner with developers who have the goal of providing affordable housing while providing tax relief for individual property owners who provide affordable housing opportunities.
In both cases, the developers and the individual property owners should be held accountable for their agreements with the city.
12. Raleigh’s CACs have been fully restored, and the city has introduced civic assemblies for paid community outreach, among other measures. What more could or should the city do to engage and inform residents?
The city should hold meetings to familiarize the citizenry of the restoration of the advisory councils. The meetings should be advertised and held within the affected communities to be certain that our friends and neighbors are aware.
13. How should the city address public safety downtown, including around the central bus station and Moore Square Park and in Glenwood South?
In order to increase public safety in downtown, Moore Square, and Glenwood South, the city needs to focus on law enforcement officers’ retention, recruiting, and training and increase foot patrols these and other affected areas.
14. If there are other issues you want to discuss, please do so here.
“I have the education and work experience to represent District -C well with a master’s degree in public policy and public administration and thirty years in law enforcement. I am the only candidate for this seat who has indicated that I will be donating 100% of my first years and a minimum of 30% of each additional year’s councilman’s salary to youth programs in District-C when I’m elected. Since I am retired, I will be available to represent my district on a fulltime daily basis. I am the only candidate who is currently able to do this.
I am encouraging all city council members to contribute financially to youth programs within the city of Raleigh. The children are our future!”
