Name: Cameron Zamot
Age: 28
Party affiliation: Democrat
Campaign website: https://www.cameronforcouncil.org/
Occupation and employer: Owner of The Bike Library
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?
I think Raleigh is generally moving in a positive direction. It’s a great place to live and people recognize that. But we haven’t quite become a city that works easily for everyday life yet, because of our intense traffic and affordability problems.
If elected, I will approve cases for rezoning single neighborhood lots to small-scale commercial or mixed-use in order to build neighborhood-scale development that brings groceries and other essentials within walking distance of more residents. I will also support UDO text change to reduce the minimum lot size per dwelling in residential zones.
I will also initiate an effort to make Vision Zero a standalone department instead of a subset of Transportation, as it currently is. Transportation is responsible for efficient movement of people and goods, Vision Zero is responsible for reducing traffic violence. Separating the departments will reduce that conflict of interest and provide the resources and “teeth” to build safer infrastructure.
Finally, I will support a transit system that is simpler, more frequent, and better connected across the city, so people have more convenient alternatives to driving. Currently, buses run in a hub-and-spoke system with few cross-town options. Creating more cross-town connections will make the bus system more efficient and useful for more residents.
Those changes will help Raleigh grow in a way that is safer, more equitable, and more livable as we continue to attract people from around the country and the world.
2. If you are a candidate for a district seat, please identify your priorities for your district. If you are an at-large candidate, please identify the three most pressing issues the city faces.
1. Transportation and good growth
2. Affordability
3. Stormwater
The single most pressing issue facing Raleigh is how the city moves. Growth is movement, and if we move well, we’ll grow well. If we don’t rethink how people move around, we risk a real decline in both economic vitality and quality of life.
Car ownership costs dollars and lives, but it’s the transportation system we’ve built our city around. Here are some numbers: $12,000 per car per year, 20,000 crashes per year in Raleigh alone. Raleigh is the #1-ranked city for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). Car dependency in Raleigh makes living here more expensive and generates tragic amounts of injury and death in the City. My job on Council will be to make the alternative options more viable for more people by making them safer and more convenient. This means funding more protected infrastructure and working with Transit to make more cross-town routes that run frequently.
The second major issue is affordability. It’s hard to be affordable when transportation costs $12,000 per year. But what about housing itself? In order to make housing affordable, we need to increase housing supply. In addition to the high-rise towers that get so much attention, we need to focus on building density into neighborhoods, too. This means legalizing smaller dwellings, subdivided lots, and neighborhood retail. These form the backbone of vibrant, walkable neighborhoods.
The third pressing issue is stormwater management. Continued road widening and expanding parking lots to accommodate car-dependent travel are pushing Raleigh toward a serious stormwater crisis. Every new stretch of pavement adds strain to our streams and waterways. Addressing transportation is central to addressing stormwater. By reducing the need for so much impervious surface, we can protect our hydrologic systems while building a more resilient city.
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?
My experience inside City government has shaped how I approach leadership and policy. Working on Transit staff gave me a front-line view of how city decisions actually get implemented. Seeing how things work from a staff perspective helped me understand where the boundary between idealism and reality is, and how to toe that line to make innovative decisions that can actually get implemented.
I also believe that meaningful progress only happens when people are aligned around a shared goal. I’ve spent years bringing people together to build things that didn’t exist before. When I opened The Bike Library, it wasn’t because of a single idea or individual effort. It worked because a group of people believed in a shared vision and committed the time and energy to make it real. I set the direction, helped clarify the path, and worked alongside others to get there. Today, that collective effort has created a thriving bike and coffee shop in Boylan Heights.
I will bring that same collaborative leadership to City Council. Being effective on Council means listening, building trust, and helping colleagues move toward solutions together.
I also believe effectiveness requires courage. Some of the most important decisions are not the easiest or most popular ones. I am willing to ask hard questions and challenge the status quo when it serves the long-term interests of Raleigh residents. City Council needs people who are focused on what’s right, not just what’s safe. That willingness to push boundaries is how progress happens.
4. Many Raleigh leaders publicly committed to supporting a future affordable housing bond before the 2024 city council election and again this summer. Do you agree that a future affordable housing bond referendum should go before voters? Please explain your position. If you support a future affordable housing bond, when should it appear on ballots and in what (estimated) amount? What else can the city do to make sure Raleigh housing is affordable for current and future residents?
I would support a housing bond in the same rough amount as the 2020 bond, but I would not be the first to advocate for it. Regarding timeline, I would leave the timeline up to other Council members to spearhead the initiative. I would not oppose a housing bond if other Council members motioned for it.
I hold this position because I think there are more cost-effective ways to make Raleigh more affordable for more people. Someone much smarter than me once said: “I’m not trying to make affordable housing; I’m trying to make housing affordable.” Plus, a housing bond is a liability to the City in the long run since it’s on the City to pay it back. An affordable housing tax, similar to the half-cent transit tax, could be a viable alternative.
From a regulatory/text change perspective, I’d motion for larger minimum-lot-size-per-unit requirements in the UDO, specifically for R-10 zoning but also for other R- zoning types.
Allowing more housing to be built in our existing neighborhoods is a great way to make housing affordable for current and future residents. These types of infill can easily be made to match the character and historical aesthetic of the neighborhood, while opening the door for more people to call Raleigh home.
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. How would you like Raleigh to address climate resilience, particularly flooding?
Climate resilience is about protecting people, homes, and neighborhoods from risks we know are getting worse. As rainfall becomes more intense, Raleigh has to be honest about how our development patterns contribute to flooding.
A major driver of inland flooding is the amount of impervious surface we continue to add across the city. Asphalt and concrete prevent water from soaking into the ground where it falls. Instead, that water is rapidly funneled into storm drains and discharged into streams all at once, overwhelming systems that were never designed for that volume. Watersheds like Walnut Creek and the Neuse River can only absorb so much. Every new road widening, parking lot, or paved surface adds strain to those systems.
To reduce flooding risk, Raleigh needs to reduce impervious surface and manage water closer to where it falls. From a policy standpoint, that means requiring Green Stormwater Infrastructure in new development, incentivizing permeable paving materials (grass pavers, for example), and setting clear citywide goals to limit and reduce impervious surface over time. It also means encouraging development patterns that build up rather than out, which covers less land with pavement and reduces pressure on our watersheds.
If we want a city that is resilient to climate change, we have to stop treating flooding as an isolated emergency and start addressing the underlying choices that make it worse.
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?
Too often, Raleigh leadership is drawn toward high-profile, flashy, and expensive projects instead of simpler, more pragmatic solutions that are easier to deliver and manage.
It is far easier to say yes to an exciting project like the Six Forks Road widening, even when funding is only approved and not fully secured, than it is to pursue straightforward options like repurposing an existing travel lane for protected bike or bus infrastructure. Raleigh already has enough roadway. We need to use it more efficiently, not keep adding pavement and impervious surface. Making the decision to repurpose lanes is incredibly difficult and controversial, but it’s in the best interest of the people by moving towards a more equitable transportation system. These are the exact types of courageous decisions I will make on Council.
The same dynamic applies to transit. It is much flashier to announce a major project like New Bern Bus Rapid Transit than it is to simply run articulated buses at higher frequency on an existing route like Route 15. What riders actually experience is frequency and reliability, not branding and an idea that’s ten years away from being a reality.
This issue is personal for me since I worked on City staff.. I participated in several presentations to construction firms during the long effort to attract bidders for the New Bern BRT project. In conversations outside the group setting, multiple representatives cited poor past working relationships with the City, including delayed invoice payments, as reasons they were hesitant to bid. If Raleigh wants projects to stay on track and within budget, the City must be a reliable partner that respects its contractors, consultants, and staff.
The city should make small commitments often instead of big ones rarely.
7. Recently, 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?
Local elected officials need to be active, visible participants in the social fabric of the city. In moments like this, policy alone is not enough. Real community is what creates safety, trust, and resilience.
Our city, like much of the country, feels increasingly divided. People spend more time isolated in cars, seeing one another as obstacles instead of neighbors. That erosion of everyday connection makes moments of fear and uncertainty even harder, especially for immigrant communities. Cities can counter this by cultivating places and systems where people actually encounter one another as people. A conversation on the bus can build more trust than sitting at a red light next to someone. Riding a bike to work allows you to say hello to a neighbor walking their dog.
At the municipal level, Raleigh City Council has limited ability to directly change national immigration policy or state laws that require cooperation with federal agencies. Pretending otherwise is not honest. But that does not mean city leaders are powerless. This is a moment to question personal commitments to building strong, visible, and inclusive communities. Community is the most effective way to counter fear and isolation.
That work often happens outside of City Hall. Of the many community events I organize and host at The Bike Library, the one that has been most powerful for building connection is Open Mic Night. Once a month, the doors are open and anyone can speak for five minutes about anything they want. The stories shared there have been deeply meaningful, stories of resilience, courage, and finding belonging in a complicated world.
These kinds of small, consistent efforts are how trust is built, and trust is what makes a city feel safe and welcoming.
8. GoRaleigh’s bus operators, who are officially employed by international transit system operator RATPDev USA, have brought complaints about difficult and unsafe working conditions to the city council on numerous occasions in the past year. Besides working with the Raleigh Police Department on more patrolling and safety at bus terminals, what could the city be doing to make the bus operators’ jobs safer and more manageable?
I believe the City needs to take transit seriously if we expect working conditions to improve for bus operators. My hottest take is this: City Council members and senior Transportation staff should ride the bus or bike to work. If that idea feels unrealistic, then that tells us something important about how we currently prioritize our transit system. The mark of a good transit system is when the wealthy and the decision makers use it.
Safety on buses is a difficult and complex issue, and there is no single fix. Right now, Raleigh’s bus system serves mostly people who have no other transportation option, since it lags so far behind personal vehicles in convenience and timeliness. As a result, a disproportionate share of riders are underemployed, housing insecure, or dealing with mental health challenges. That is not a failure of those riders. It is the predictable outcome of a system that has not been built to serve the full city.
If we want safer working conditions for operators, we need to change who the system serves and how it functions. Many routes are indirect, change too often, and do not run frequently enough to be dependable. Nearly every route passes through GoRaleigh Station, even when it does not make sense. Of the city’s 35 routes, only seven are cross-town. There is no direct bus between major destinations like North Hills and Crabtree. Shared-artery routes are rare, and transfers are inconsistent and difficult to plan.
Building a system that more people choose to use is essential. Higher ridership means more eyes on the street, more activity on buses, and a stronger sense of shared public space. That kind of normalization improves safety for operators and riders alike. If we want bus operators to feel safer and more supported, we have to build a transit system that truly serves the whole city.
9. This year, the Raleigh Police Department has come under scrutiny for its handling of the investigation into the crash that killed Tyrone Mason. Additionally, a former senior officer was fired in May; 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 crash that killed Tyrone Mason is a tragic example of the kind of traffic violence that Raleigh must work harder to prevent. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the pursuit, a young man lost his life, and that reality deserves serious consideration. Preventing these outcomes means rethinking how we design streets, how we manage high-speed chases, and how we reduce the conditions that make these situations more likely in the first place.
Building trust between residents and the Raleigh Police Department requires consistency, transparency, and accountability. City Council plays an important role in setting expectations for leadership and culture within the department. One of the most consequential responsibilities Council has is hiring and supporting ethical, professional leadership. Overall, I believe RPD has strong leadership. In my interactions with Chief Boyce, he has seemed professional and kind.
It is also important to acknowledge that the relationship between police and communities is shaped by national forces well beyond the authority of Raleigh City Council. Council cannot solve that alone. What it can do is insist on integrity, prioritize prevention over reaction, and ensure that public safety strategies are aligned with the values of the community they are meant to serve.
10. Over the last year, Raleigh rolled out a crisis call diversion line and a care navigation team under the CARES umbrella. Those programs join the preexisting ACORNS unit within the police department as part of the city’s tool kit for responding to mental health, substance use, or homelessness concerns. Are you satisfied with the rollout of Raleigh CARES? Where do you want to see more investment or additional services? Should Raleigh consider creating a mobile crisis response team separate from the police department?
Raleigh CARES is a good step forward, and it shows that the City is willing to try new approaches. That said, I do not think we should measure success only by how well we respond once someone is already in crisis. The real opportunity is to catch these issues earlier, before they escalate to the point where emergency response is required.
The City can do more by partnering with organizations that are already doing effective work in the community. Oak City Cares is one example of a public private partnership, but there are others, such as Healing Transitions, that could be better supported and integrated into the City’s response framework. Leveraging existing organizations allows the City to expand its impact without rebuilding systems from scratch.
I would also like to see broader support for small, community driven organizations. Community Kickstand, for example, helps provide transportation to people experiencing housing insecurity. Groups like this are often volunteer run, low cost, and highly effective. With modest City support, they can do a great deal.
More broadly, I want to help create structures that make it easier for residents to help one another. That may include volunteer coordination, referrals, or light touch City support. If we invest in community capacity and prevention, we can reduce the number of crises and build a more humane, resilient system of care.
11. Raleigh’s Citizen Advisory Councils 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?
Programs like the Raleigh Planning Academy are a great example of what the city is doing that works. This program teaches participants about the regulations that affect development in the city. That experience is what first got me interested in local government in 2023 but right now it reaches a relatively small group through an intensive six week format. I would like to see the Planning & Development department focus more resources on Planning Academy, potentially by diverting resources from less impactful community engagement efforts. This could include a “lite” version that introduces more residents to how the City works without requiring a six-week time commitment. Making these sessions more accessible by providing free childcare would also help ensure parents can participate.
I have also seen how informal, community based approaches can be effective. Events like Coffee and Council at Willow House Coffee create space for residents to talk directly with staff and elected officials in a setting that feels natural and approachable. Those kinds of conversations often build more understanding than formal hearings alone.
At the end of the day, meaningful engagement is about bringing people who care about the city into regular contact with those making decisions. When that connection is consistent and accessible, trust and participation follow.
12. If there are other issues you want to discuss, please do so here.
When cities get to a certain threshold of wealth and attractiveness, they begin to compete on greenways and pedestrian amenities to differentiate and attract companies, residents and investment.
We are at the tipping point. If we want that kind of good growth, then we need to double down on our efforts to provide these amenities. It’s more than just getting around for leisure, it’s getting around in a sustainable way that doesn’t make Raleigh feel so “full.” Innovation seems impossible at first, but we really do live in a city that’s primed for this.
Courageous leadership that challenges the status quo in the best interest of the people is the way to get to that future. I will be that courageous voice for Raleigh.