Preservation Voters: Candidate Responses
2025 Durham City Council and Mayoral Candidates Preservation Questionnaire Responses
UPDATED 10/29/25: For clarity, candidate responses have been narrowed to include only those who advanced from the primary and will appear on the November 4, 2025 general election ballot. All original candidate responses remain available as reference links at the bottom of the page.
As our 2025 local elections near, we wanted to ask each candidate how they feel about historic preservation and what their plans in office will be to support historic preservation efforts in our community. We reached out to each candidate, and have received answers from 10, which you can read below.
2025 City of Durham Candidate Questionnaire: Historic Preservation in Durham
Prepared by Preservation Durham (www.preservationdurham.org)
*Each candidate's full answer sheet and submitted bio are linked at the bottom of this page
1. Partnering for Preservation:
How do you envision the City partnering with nonprofits like Preservation Durham to achieve the historic preservation goals outlined in the Comprehensive Plan?
Ward 1:
DeDreana Freeman: I see real possibilities for the City to partner with nonprofits like Preservation Durham as both a resource and a conduit for the community. Nonprofits can help us identify and document historically significant sites, especially in underrepresented Black, Indigenous, and working-class neighborhoods that have often been overlooked in preservation efforts.
Our Partnerships should include:
- Identifying early collaboration opportunities on rezoning and development reviews so historic preservation concerns are addressed before projects move too far along.
- Grant matching and technical support from the City to help property owners access preservation incentives and adaptive reuse programs.
- Working closely with city staff on community education and outreach programs, co-led with nonprofits, to raise awareness about local history and available preservation tools.
- Integrating preservation into affordable housing strategies so we maintain both our historic structures and build stability for long-term residents.
Working together, the City and nonprofits can preserve Durham’s rich stories, culture,
and community identity while building a future that reflects our shared values.
Matt Kopac: Partnerships with nonprofits like Preservation Durham will be important to achieving the preservation objectives in the Comprehensive Plan. The first major policy that address preservation is Policy 29, which recommends the use of public funds to support preserving and presenting our local history, especially telling the stories of Durham’s Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. The second policy focused on preservation is Policy 31, which recommends preserving the buildings, neighborhoods, and places of historic significance that define Durham. Looking back, two examples that highlight the spirit of these policies are Preservation Durham’s advocacy for the preservation of the Pauli Murray home and the West Village. The Comprehensive Plan envisions more such work going forward.
To align with these policies, I see the city collaborating with community organizations to expand historical information gathering and expanding the Durham Affordable Housing Loan Fund. This fund, which is designed in part to help affordable housing developers acquire and preserve existing properties, will be critical to meeting our preservation goals and for protecting our naturally occurring affordable housing (see question 3).
Ward 2:
Shanetta Burris: In the 2023 Comprehensive Plan, a key objective is to recognize Durham’s historic buildings and sites as vital parts of our shared public history and to preserve these structures thoughtfully. To achieve this goal, partnerships with community-led nonprofit organizations like Preservation Durham are essential. As a council member, I will make it a priority to consult and collaborate with your organization to fulfill the objectives outlined in the Comprehensive Plan.
Mark-Anthony Middleton: No response
Ward 3:
Chelsea Cook: I am excited to continue partnering with Preservation Durham and other nonprofits. There are several components of the Comprehensive Plan that can be better met with the experience and knowledge of this (or other similarly situated) groups. For example, in our recent conversations around the redevelopment of 505, we saw that the City’s understanding of what could be done to preserve and update the Milton Small Building was inaccurate in terms of cost and time because we had not specifically discussed the building’s future with developers in the preservation space. I am appreciative of the organizations stepping forward and offering expertise to help the City meet some of our immediate goals around this project, even though the entire property is not moving forward as we might like.
Diana Medoff: I have a great appreciation for the way the story of Durham is told through our architecture. The American Tobacco Campus, for example, has been preserved and reinvented to suit the current needs of Durham’s economy while still telling the story of our history. As we move forward, I am grateful for the work of Preservation Durham in advocating for this sort of storytelling as we adapt and grow. Because of that, I believe everyone and especially local nonprofits like Preservation Durham should have a voice in shaping Durham’s future.
Mayor:
Anjanée Bell: Durham will partner with nonprofits like Preservation Durham through a formal, funded, and accountable structure that delivers the Comprehensive Plan’s goals of rooted communities and a protected sense of place.
As Mayor, I will establish a Joint Preservation Partnership that convenes Preservation Durham, the Hayti Heritage Center, the Museum of Durham History, Planning, and neighborhood leaders each quarter to co-author an annual Preservation Work Program with clear targets, timelines, and budgets.
The City will create a reliable funding stream for partner organizations through annual operating and project grants aligned with state and philanthropic dollars. The Historic Preservation Commission is primarily occupied with Certificate of Appropriateness caseloads; nonprofit partners will extend the full set of preservation functions envisioned by state law, including proactive work with owners of endangered properties and culturally significant sites. All actions will be consistent with North Carolina law.
Policy will match practice. For rezonings and major site plans that implicate historic neighborhoods or cultural assets, staff reports will include early, written comments from Preservation Durham and sister organizations. The City will deploy tools—adaptive reuse incentives, local and conservation districts, landmark designations, demolition-delay triggers, and state and federal historic tax credits—equitably and effectively, prioritizing long-standing Black and working-class neighborhoods vulnerable to displacement.
Durham will expand the citywide historic resource survey with an explicit equity lens, integrating oral histories and cultural landscapes so preservation honors people as well as buildings. Each year, the City and its partners will publish an At-Risk Places & Preservation Priorities list, co-created with neighborhood groups, to direct funding, staffing, and regulatory action. A Durham Preservation Fund will pair small grants and revolving, low-interest loans for owner-occupants and small landlords with technical-assistance clinics, energy-efficiency upgrades, and, where eligible, property-tax relief—so preservation keeps residents in place.
Hayti will be the immediate proving ground. The City will launch a small-area plan for Hayti with a standing advisory committee that includes Preservation Durham, Hayti Reborn, the Hayti Heritage Center, and resident leaders from the start. Progress will be tracked on a public dashboard: structures stabilized, homes repaired, dollars deployed, and cultural assets protected.
This is how Durham advances development without displacement and builds a better Durham for everyone.
Leonardo Williams: One of Durham’s greatest blessings and assets is the extensive nonprofit community throughout our city that works every single day to better the lives of all Durhamites. From food availability, to neighborhood revitalization, to homeownership support, nonprofits are a key auxiliary partner in the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan. If elected, it is my intention to continue preexisting collaboration between the city and nonprofit groups, while constantly seeking ways to expand and streamline these partnerships for the ultimate betterment of our whole community.
2. Historic Neighborhoods & Growth:
What role do Durham’s historic residential neighborhoods play in the city’s future growth? How should the city balance preserving neighborhood character with the need for increased housing density near downtown?
Ward 1:
DeDreana Freeman: Durham’s historic residential neighborhoods, especially places like Golden Belt, Hayti, Tuscaloosa-Lakewood, Walltown and Watts-Hospital are foundational to our city’s identity, cultural heritage, and sense of place. They embody the strength, resilience, and legacy of Black, Brown, working-class communities that shaped Durham. As we grow, we must ensure these neighborhoods aren’t erased in the name of progress.
Preserving neighborhood character isn't about halting change. It’s about guiding growth in a way that honors local architecture, walkability, green canopies, and community fabric while meeting housing needs. We can do this by focusing new housing on transit corridors, under-used commercial sites, and city-owned land. Tools like conservation districts, design standards, and affordable housing requirements can help protect what matters most.
For instance, a recent zoning case in Hayti illustrates this balance in action. A proposal for a high-rise, mixed-use project at Heritage Square was withdrawn after residents voiced concerns about displacement, affordability, and erasure of history. Durham’s response shows the power of centering community vision in development. That same space can and should be reimagined in partnership with Hayti residents, grounded in respect, equity, and preservation, rather than driven by speculative development.
By combining intentional preservation with thoughtful, community-directed growth, we can build a Durham that stays rooted in its history, even as it welcomes new neighbors and opportunity.
Matt Kopac: I believe we can and must balance preserving neighborhood character while having more homes near downtown. There will be areas like downtown and transit corridors where we will want to build greater density to meet the needs of our growing population. In our historic neighborhoods the key will be incremental growth that contributes to our housing needs while remaining in character. This includes local decisions like Expanding Housing Choices to build ADUs and supporting residents and local developers to build more housing stock like duplexes and triplexes. I live in Trinity Park, which is a terrific example of how diverse housing types can co-exist and preserve neighborhood character.
Ward 2:
Shanetta Burris: Many of Durham’s historic residential neighborhoods are being targeted by developers for various reasons. However, this approach often does not yield positive outcomes for long-term residents. These residents face the loss of their social and cultural fabric, in addition to a significant increase in property taxes. The city should make a concerted effort to engage with the communities residing in historic neighborhoods, such as Hayti and Walltown, when making decisions about growth and increased density. Residents and community leaders possess invaluable insights gained from years of living in their neighborhoods and should be seen as trusted partners and advisors, rather than obstacles. While increased density is important, it is equally essential to honor the history and character of these neighborhoods. Furthermore, council members should be intentional when engaging with developers who come before them to request annexations or rezonings in historic neighborhoods. This presents an excellent opportunity to advocate for the community's needs and to assess whether the developer is genuinely interested in being a long-term partner who cares about their impact on the community.
Mark-Anthony Middleton: No response
Ward 3:
Chelsea Cook: This is certainly a balance and one that comes with any growth, including the growth of Durham. I am mindful of certain histories and their importance to the City and the people who live here, as well as certain neighborhoods that attract people – both new residents and tourists alike. Like with any conversation around development and land use, I am careful to consider all the information in front of me, including the comments of Durhamites who will come share the stories of their neighborhoods during public comment. I do my best to choose the outcome that I feel is in the city’s best interest, and I take seriously the charge in determining if what we are giving up is less than what we are gaining on a whole.
Diana Medoff: As somebody who calls a historic neighborhood “home”, I understand the power and responsibility that comes with this rich history. When we renovated our historic home to meet the needs of our growing family, we were able to add an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU). These sorts of personalized and creative solutions allow us to build more densely in these neighborhoods while also staying true to our history. History and character shouldn’t limit us moving forward but should guide us in our growth and development.
Mayor:
Anjanée Bell: Durham’s historic residential neighborhoods are the city’s living foundation. They hold our story—architecture, culture, and the everyday places where children were raised, neighbors looked out for one another, and elders aged in place. They are our heirlooms; preserving them is a people-first strategy, not nostalgia. They also contain the largest share of naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH), essential to stability and intergenerational wealth.
First, protect what works. I will work to bring an Established Neighborhoods zoning framework to Council within my first 100 days, tailored by neighborhood and tied to anti-displacement standards. In these areas, the City will discourage teardowns that destroy NOAH, apply conservation or local historic districts where communities want them, use demolition-delay triggers for at-risk structures, and expand repair grants, tax relief where eligible, and low-interest rehab loans so owners can maintain and remain. Displacement-impact statements will be required for rezonings that affect historic neighborhoods.
Second, add gentle, compatible infill. Accessory Dwelling Units will be by-right and easy to build. The City will offer pre-approved ADU and small-plex plans and expedited review for projects that retain an existing primary home. Context-sensitive pattern books will govern duplexes, townhomes, and small apartment houses on appropriate lots or vacant parcels—matching height, setbacks, massing, and materials—so new homes fit the block.
Third, target meaningful density where it serves public goals. Higher density will be focused on downtown edges, major transit corridors, activity centers, and publicly controlled sites—not within the interior of established historic blocks. Upzoning will be conditioned on deep and durable affordability, enforceable anti-displacement commitments, and community benefits agreements. Density is a means, not an end; any added entitlement near downtown must prove public value or it will not advance.
Fourth, center historically Black neighborhoods. Walltown, Bragtown, Hayti, College Heights, and similar communities will not be asked to pay the price of “growth.” With Preservation Durham and neighborhood leaders, the City will identify at-risk places, direct resources, and codify protections that keep residents in place while improving housing quality. A quarterly NOAH Preservation Scorecard—including a teardown-to-rehab ratio by neighborhood—will guide funding, enforcement, and code changes in real time.
This balanced approach advances development without displacement, safeguards Durham’s sense of place, and delivers more homes where they belong—near jobs, transit, and services—while honoring the neighborhoods that made Durham what it is. That is how we build a better Durham for everyone.
Leonardo Williams: This is the eternal question, striking the appropriate balance between residential neighborhood sprawl and consolidated development. Thankfully, in Durham our geography allows us to do both. Our city limits include extensive residential-style neighborhoods filled with standalone single family housing. The assertion that this model can’t co-exist with large scale apartment style housing is demonstrably inaccurate, and this is borne out in real-time throughout Durham. Our council has presided over a period of sustained housing growth that has incorporated both models, while also devoting resources to rejuvenating pre-existing communities.
3. Affordable Housing & Older Homes (NOAH)
Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) often refers to older, modest homes in need of renovation. Many of these properties have traditionally offered a path to homeownership and wealth-building but are increasingly being bought by investors or demolished for higher-end development. What policies or tools should the city consider to preserve NOAH and support owner-occupant buyers? If elected, how would you incorporate this issue in the affordable housing conversation?
Ward I:
DeDreana Freeman: Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) is one of Durham’s most important yet most at-risk housing resources. These older, modest homes have historically provided first-time buyers, working-class families, and long-term residents especially in Black and Brown communities with a pathway to homeownership and intergenerational wealth.
However, speculative investors are increasingly purchasing these properties, either to flip them into high-cost rentals or to demolish and replace them with expensive new construction.
To preserve NOAH, Durham needs a multi-pronged strategy. First, I would support the creation of a dedicated NOAH preservation fund that could be used to help owner-occupant buyers, especially low- and moderate-income households compete with investors through down payment assistance, low-interest rehab loans, and grants for essential repairs. Second, I would advocate for a “first look” policy, giving qualified owner-occupants, community land trusts, and nonprofit housing providers priority access to purchase NOAH properties before they hit the speculative market. Third, we should expand tax relief programs like the Longtime Homeowner Grant to help keep these homes in the hands of residents facing rising property taxes.
If elected, I would make NOAH preservation a core pillar of Durham’s affordable housing strategy. This means integrating NOAH goals into our housing bond commitments, incentivizing renovation over demolition, and partnering with community development financial institutions, local banks, and land trusts to maintain these homes as permanently affordable. Preserving NOAH is not just about saving buildings, and it’s about protecting Durham’s people, culture, and the ability of working families to stay and thrive in their neighborhoods.
Matt Kopac: Preserving Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) is critical because most low and moderate-income residents lack access to subsidized units, and most of the affordable housing in Durham (where residents aren’t cost-burdened) is naturally occurring. A mix of solutions is needed.
The city should start with short-term stopgaps to help people stay in their homes. This includes eviction diversion, legal aid, and stronger tenant protections. Durham’s Minor Repair and Substantial Rehabilitation Programs are vital, addressing substandard housing issues like plumbing, roofing, stormwater, and HVAC – expenses that often force residents out of otherwise affordable homes. These repairs also support energy affordability, lowering utility costs. The Longtime Homeowner Grant Program is another great program that eases rising tax burdens and should be more accessible.
Community land trusts such as Durham Community Land Trustees (DCLT) are valuable for keeping homes permanently affordable by removing them from speculative markets. We should also explore models like housing cooperatives, shared equity programs, and community investment trusts to protect our existing affordable housing stock.
Even with these efforts, most low and moderate-income residents remain vulnerable to private market pressures. Building more homes is therefore crucial to stabilizing costs and preserving NOAH. We need to build more affordable homes, but if we only do this, it can push wealthier residents into naturally affordable neighborhoods, displacing longtime residents. Encouraging more locally responsive, small-scale development – such as projects supported by the Durham Affordable Housing Loan Fund and the ADU pilot fund and by providing more flexibility in the new UDO – offers a way to ease displacement pressures without the same cost pressures of large-scale developments.
Ward 2:
Shanetta Burris: It is crucial to acknowledge that homeownership can become a burden for our neighbors, particularly those in their later years, in an environment where property taxes are increasing for various reasons. In many of our established neighborhoods, gentrification significantly contributes to rising property taxes, putting those on fixed incomes at risk of financial hardship. I believe we are not doing enough as a local government to explore effective strategies to reduce the tax burden on our neighbors. While recognizing the legal limitations of the council, I am committed to researching and collaborating with community members to find appropriate solutions to this issue. By partnering with banks and credit unions to provide low-interest loans, we could help offset these rising costs.
Mark-Anthony Middleton: No response
Ward 3:
Chelsea Cook: I am excited to see this question because I feel that sometimes we hear an incorrect narrative around affordable housing and how it is at odds with all other good services; we are told that, in order to achieve affordability, we must give up our environmental goals, or our goals around history and preservation, and the list goes on. This is a perfect example of how preservation and affordability can actually go hand in hand. I am committed to retaining the council’s power in zoning and will use my voice to stand against the “density at all costs” push. Durham should be able to decide how we densify by keeping the power to make those decisions in the hands of electeds who are accountable to the public. For me, this is the only way to ensure the density we want comes with any affordability or preservation of history at all (and ideally it comes with both!).
Diana Medoff: To preserve Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) in Durham and support owner-occupant buyers, we must take a proactive, balanced approach that protects long-time residents while managing the pressures of growth. Durham is growing, and with that growth comes change. Building for the influx of new residents is not the same as building for affordability—and we must do both. That means we have to approve new developments, even when it brings discomfort or change to established neighborhoods. It means allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs), multi-unit housing on formerly single-family lots, and greater density in areas near transit, jobs, and services. These are tough choices for some Durhamites, but the alternative—displacement and disinvestment—is far worse.
Mayor:
Anjanée Bell: As Mayor, I will lead the City to execute a two-track strategy for Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH): preserve what exists and produce what is missing. NOAH is Durham’s primary on-ramp to homeownership and intergenerational wealth. The goal is development without displacement and more first-time buyers in stable, well-kept homes.
1) Preserve what exists and prioritize owner-occupants.
Create an Established Neighborhoods zoning framework that discourages teardowns, applies conservation or local historic districts where communities want them, and activates demolition-delay for at-risk homes. Launch a NOAH Preservation Fund that provides low-interest rehab loans and small grants, paired with a homeowner navigator to stack historic credits, energy upgrades, and code remedies so owners can maintain and remain. Provide targeted tax and fee relief where eligible, and expedite permits for rehab that retains the primary structure. Establish First-Look & First-Opportunity on City-controlled disposals and incentive deals, giving owner-occupants, community land trusts, and mission-driven buyers time and support to acquire NOAH; assistance will carry owner-occupancy covenants and recapture provisions to deter flipping. Publish a quarterly NOAH Preservation Scorecard—including a teardown-to-rehab ratio by neighborhood—to direct funding, inspections, and code changes in real time.
2) Produce what is missing: small houses on small lots.
Durham cannot regulate sales prices in most cases; it can regulate size and form. Through rezonings and Planned Density Residential approvals, I will require that at least 20% of new for-sale homes are small houses on small lots, with clear caps on building size and height. Accessory Dwelling Units will be by-right. The City will provide pre-approved small-house and ADU plans and a context pattern book so new homes match block character. Projects that retain an existing home while adding gentle infill will receive priority review. Durham will retire any small-house option that induces teardown of NOAH and shift that production to new subdivisions and appropriate infill sites.
3) Make compatibility a public good.
In partnership with Preservation Durham and sister nonprofits, the City will sponsor an annual Small House Design Challenge; rezoning proposals that adopt winning designs will receive scoring preference. All actions will comply with North Carolina law.
How this fits the affordable housing conversation.
NOAH preservation will be a standing pillar of Durham’s housing policy and bond investments, measured by displacement prevented, NOAH homes preserved, and first-time buyers housed. This is how we keep families in place while adding attainable homes—and how we build a better Durham for everyone.
Leonardo Williams: Preservation of Naturally-Occurring Affordable Housing is a pivotal part of Durham’s current housing policy, including intentional investment from the city and partnership with non-profits currently providing meaningful community support in the housing sphere. It is also a key residual effect of the city’s drive to expand the housing market for both tenants and homeowners. Equitable abundance is a policy that uplifts all members of the community, and includes not only keeping housing costs down, but keeping the cost of living manageable as well. Addressing food deserts, providing reliable public transportation, and ensuring public safety all play a part in constructing the affordable Durham that our community deserves.
4. Downtown Development & Preservation
How do you view the role of historic preservation in the past and future development of
Downtown Durham and its surrounding neighborhoods? In your opinion, how should the city balance preservation goals with the call for greater height and density in the urban core?
Ward I:
DeDreana Freeman: As a resident of the historic Golden Belt Neighborhood, just across the street from downtown, I deeply value the 100-year-old homes and the mill village that tell the story of the east side of Main Street. Preservation has played a critical role in shaping Durham’s identity by honoring the history of the hosiery and cotton mills where generations of working-class residents built their lives. That story deserves to be preserved alongside
the wealthier narratives of our city’s past. Looking ahead, preservation must remain part of how we grow.
Balancing preservation with the push for greater height and density has become more challenging with the passing of Simplified Code for Affordable Housing (SCAD) text amendments, which removed incentives to keep historic homes in favor of new development. But we don’t have to sacrifice modest historic neighborhoods to achieve growth. By slowing the process for deeper review and pairing density with meaningful affordable housing benefits, we can protect what makes Durham unique while still meeting future needs. We also need to ensure that density is scaled appropriately within existing communities, cascades thoughtfully across the city, and preserves as many of the structures and stories as possible.
Matt Kopac: Historic preservation has been hugely important in our past (see question 7) and will be important to our future development of Downtown Durham and its surrounding neighborhoods. Balance will be important, which means integrating preservation where possible–even if we can’t do it everywhere.
What I have come to realize over a career in business, non-profit, and advocacy work is that strategy is about moving in a particular direction but not winning at every moment. As a sustainability officer, I learned that if I tried to require reuse for every innovation, then we would get very few products out the door. As an affordable housing advocate, I learned that if we require all new developments to have affordable housing, then very little housing gets built.
It is important to set goals for progress and find the right opportunities that balance sometimes aligned, and sometimes competing priorities. For downtown, it will be important to have an inventory of priority projects and get preservation wins whenever we can. However, sometimes preservation may not be feasible. In the case of the Home Security Life Building, I would love it if we could meet all the city council’s goals for preservation, design, affordable housing, public ownership of the land, and more. However, I am concerned that after seven years, our approach isn’t working, and most potential development partners want nothing to do with the project. That is seven years of not housing our residents, seven years of lost opportunity with no end in sight. I don’t know the answer yet, but to get the project to pencil out, we might not be able to preserve the building.
Overall, I believe it is important to look for preservation opportunities in Downtown Durham as we densify the urban core. I look forward to engaging with Preservation Durham, supporting key projects, and weighing the trade-offs when they arise.
Ward 2
Shanetta Burris: Over recent years, Durham has moved to encourage density building as a means of addressing the perceived housing shortage. When considering zoning changes or annexations, it is essential to determine whether these changes align with the city's comprehensive plan. Another consideration is studying how the development will impact the existing neighborhood. Developers must sufficiently engage community members during the planning process to ensure that their issues or concerns are adequately addressed. Community engagement does not have to be a contentious process.
Mark-Anthony Middleton:
No response
Ward 3:
Chelsea Cook: This question overlaps with my answer above, but I will add that one thing I am excited for down the line is a study of how we might shift traffic patterns and better utilize city-owned land in downtown Durham. I hope this will allow us to have a bit more density downtown while maintaining the beautiful and meaningful storefronts that allow us to reflect on and value our Durham history.
Diana Medoff: Historic preservation has played a crucial role in shaping Downtown Durham into the vibrant, character-rich place it is today. Preservation has helped catalyze economic growth, attract small businesses, and anchor community identity. But as Durham continues to grow, we need to recognize that preservation alone isn’t enough to meet our housing and equity goals.
As our urban core evolves, we must strike a careful balance: honoring Durham’s history while making space for Durham’s future. That means being selective and strategic in our preservation efforts, prioritizing historically and culturally significant buildings and neighborhoods, especially those tied to communities that have historically been marginalized or displaced.
But it also means we must be honest: not every older structure can or should be preserved, especially if it stands in the way of desperately needed housing or equitable development. We can’t let preservation be a tool that blocks progress, affordability, or density. Preservation must not become a backdoor to exclusion.
In my view, historic preservation and smart, equitable growth are not mutually exclusive. They can work together—if we stay focused on our values: protecting our legacy, housing our people, and building a city where everyone has a place.
Mayor:
Anjanée Bell:
Durham’s downtown renaissance is, at its core, a preservation success. People are drawn to the warehouses, storefronts, and street grids that carry our story. Preservation did not slow growth; it made growth possible by giving downtown an identity worth investing in. That lesson must guide the future of downtown and the neighborhoods that surround it.
Durham’s downtown renaissance is a preservation story. People choose downtown because of its historic warehouses, storefronts, and street grid—not the newest towers. That lesson must guide the future: preservation did not slow growth; it made growth possible.
My view of preservation’s role.
Preservation is an economic strategy, a cultural anchor, and a climate tool. The downtown core is a local historic district; contributing buildings and streetwalls will be protected and reinforced. Adaptive reuse will be the first choice, not the exception.
Fix what is not working.
Our current design district rules in downtown and Ninth Street have underperformed—especially at the street level. As Mayor, I will lead a standards update with Preservation Durham and national preservation partners. The rules will require active, lease-ready ground floors (right floor-to-floor heights, storefront transparency, small bay widths, no blank walls), human-scale streetwalls, and durable materials. I will strengthen demolition-by-neglect enforcement so irreplaceable assets are not lost by delay.
Draw a clear edge between downtown and neighborhoods.
There will be a visible, codified transition between the urban core and surrounding historic residential blocks. I will implement step-down maps, mandatory upper-story stepbacks, and conservation overlays at the edges so height and intensity scale down toward neighborhoods.
Plan with shared power.
In East Durham and other legacy areas burdened by obsolete zoning and past neglect, the City will restart citizen-led, City-supported small-area planning. Engagement will move beyond surveys and post-it notes to shared decision rights, budget transparency, and timelines that residents help set.
Balancing preservation with height and density.
Greater height and density belong in the core and on transit corridors, not inside historic neighborhood interiors. Where additional height is sought, approvals will be conditioned on clear public value: adaptive reuse of contributing structures, excellent ground-floor design, deep and durable affordability, enforceable anti-displacement commitments, and secure small-business space. Streetwall protections, context-driven massing, and required stepbacks will govern all tall buildings. I will use targeted bonuses and transfer mechanisms to shift intensity away from fragile edges while funding preservation outcomes.
Unlock the grid.
The downtown loop has outlived its purpose. Converting it to complete streets will reconnect neighborhoods, open redevelopment sites, and make preservation-first infill viable.
This is how we protect Durham’s character, welcome growth that serves the public, and build a better Durham for everyone.
Leonardo Williams: Historic preservation and the pursuit of greater height and density in the urban core are not mutually-exclusive goals. Without due deference to the history of our community, we can neither appreciate where we’ve been, nor can we have a truly unobstructed view of the path laid out before us. Just like Preservation Durham articulates their vision, I envision a Durham that embraces growth and change but also protects its sense of place – its unique identity in the Triangle – and a Durham that remains open and available to all in our community. Everyone’s story has a place in the Durham I will continue to work tirelessly to build in a second term as your Mayor.
5. Support for Preservation & Equity
Programs that assist low- and moderate-income homeowners in maintaining historic properties (such as Preservation Durham’s Preservation Equity Project) currently have limited resources. Would you support dedicating City resources to initiatives that help homeowners preserve historic homes? Why or why not?
Ward I:
DeDreana Freeman: Yes, I have and will continue to support dedicating City resources to historic preservation of homes. Too often, preservation feels out of reach for low- and moderate-income families, yet they are the ones who hold much of Durham’s history in their homes. Programs like the Preservation Equity Project ensure that preservation isn’t just for those with wealth, but a tool for equity—helping families build generational wealth, keep neighborhoods stable, and protect the cultural history that makes Durham unique. Preserving our past should not displace the very people who created it.
Matt Kopac: There seems to be overlap with the Preservation Equity Project and protecting Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (see question 3), and the city’s Minor and Substantial Repair programs. Importantly, they all assist low- and moderate-income homeowners with issues like roof repair and replacement, plumbing and electrical, and other support that can mean the difference between residents staying in place or being displaced. For me, it makes sense to try to achieve these goals at the same time to the greatest degree possible.
Ward 2
Shanetta Burris:
I support increasing resources to assist homeowners. As I mentioned earlier, the rising costs of homeownership, especially for maintaining historic properties, can be a significant burden. I advocate for programs that help alleviate these challenges for our low- and moderate-income neighbors.
Mark-Anthony Middleton: No response
Ward 3:
Chelsea Cook: After our conversation around 505, I feel I have much to learn in this space. It is my understanding that there are incentives and funds to help offset these costs, and I would encourage more education around these options and how to access them. At this moment – a time with already strained resources and extreme federal funding cuts – I do not anticipate that this issue will rise above other of my priorities, like free buses, infrastructure maintenance, paying employees a living wage, incentivizing affordable housing, and investing in our youth, but if those goals of preservation overlap with my priorities, I will be happy to support such budgetary changes.
Diana Medoff: While the preservation of historic homes is valuable, I believe that during this time of financial uncertainty, the City’s limited resources should be prioritized toward essential services and urgent community needs. Programs like affordable housing, public safety, infrastructure maintenance, and social services must come first to ensure stability and equity for all residents. Historic preservation remains important, but I would prefer to see it supported through partnerships with nonprofit organizations, state or federal grants, or private philanthropy rather than dedicating scarce City funds at this time.
Mayor:
Anjanée Bell: Yes. I will dedicate City resources to initiatives that help low- and moderate-income homeowners preserve historic homes because this work keeps families in place, protects NOAH, and safeguards Durham’s cultural memory. Preservation Durham’s Preservation Equity Project has shown what is possible; it needs stable funding, staffing, and City partnership to scale. It is low-hanging fruit for City partnership that keeps families in place and protects NOAH.
As Mayor, I will:
1) Create a Preservation Equity Partnership.
Establish a multi-year City–Preservation Durham partnership that combines small grants with revolving, low-interest rehab loans targeted to owner-occupants. Funding will prioritize roofs, systems, code repairs, weatherization, and accessibility so owners can maintain and remain. Assistance will include owner-occupancy covenants and basic recapture provisions to prevent speculative flips.
2) Stand up a Homeowner Navigator & TA Hub.
Fund dedicated staff and clinics to help residents layer resources—state historic tax credits, energy-efficiency rebates, and City repair programs. The City will sponsor quarterly seminars and one-on-one application support, offered in multiple languages, with pro bono design and tax guidance where appropriate. Permits for in-place rehab will be expedited. City support will leverage tax-deductible donations to Preservation Durham, stretching every public dollar further.
3) Build local capacity to deliver repairs.
Create a pre-qualified contractor pool with fair, transparent pricing; reserve a portion for small, minority- and women-owned firms; and pair with paid apprenticeships in preservation trades through Durham Tech. This strengthens quality, speed, and neighborhood wealth.
4) Advance Landmarking and Equity.
Direct staff—working with Preservation Durham—to proactively identify eligible properties in underserved areas and prepare City-funded landmark nominations. Where landmark status affects taxes, provide clear guidance and targeted relief that protects seniors and cost-burdened owners. This mirrors successful efforts such as landmarking the Chicken Hut and extends them equitably.
5) Fix what has not worked and measure results. Centralize intake, scope repairs with independent QA, and coordinate with existing City home-repair tools to avoid duplication. Publish a public dashboard tracking homes stabilized, dollars leveraged, neighborhoods served, age of owners served, and teardown-prevented estimates.
City dollars here are high-leverage: they preserve NOAH at a fraction of new-build cost, reduce displacement risk, and retain embodied carbon. I will make Preservation Equity a standing pillar
of Durham’s affordable-housing strategy and bond investments—measured by displacement prevented, historic homes preserved, and first-time and long-time owners sustained—so we build a better Durham for everyone.
Leonardo Williams: I absolutely would support—and have supported—dedicating City resources to help low and moderate income homeowners in maintaining historic properties. Our history informs who we are, whether that be in our individual capacities, or as a collective. And in a community as dynamic as Durham, our shared history has the role of highlighting where we have been, while simultaneously serving to illuminate our path forward. It is imperative that the city continue to support efforts to maintain historic properties in a manner that doesn’t establish a tacit requirement for the homeowner of said historic property to be independently wealthy.
6. Preservation & Sustainability
How do you see preservation contributing to Durham’s sustainability and climate resilience goals?
Ward I:
DeDreana Freeman: Preservation is sustainability. By reusing, reducing, and recycling, we extend the life of our buildings and neighborhoods while honoring our history. It keeps materials out of landfills, lowers emissions, and strengthens climate resilience. Most importantly, it
protects what makes Durham, Durham.
Matt Kopac: As a sustainability professional, I regularly advocate for preservation and reuse in areas such as buildings, consumer goods, and packaging. I know that reusing an existing building typically saves 50-75% of embodied carbon compared to constructing a new building due to emissions reductions from raw material extraction, transportation and the construction process. I even had a fellowship opportunity to visit and study communities in Europe and South America and learn how they are deploying preservation and reuse to promote sustainability and local character.
As the chair of the Durham Environmental Affairs Board, I was one of the chief advocates for Durham’s 2021 Carbon Reduction and Renewable Energy Action Plan. Preservation does not feature prominently in the city’s sustainability and climate resilience goals, as the biggest levers the city can pull to reduce emissions are energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption, and fleet electrification. However, I still see preservation as an important contributor to both reducing emissions and to promoting an ethic of resource stewardship in our community.
Ward 2
Shanetta Burris: I view preservation as an essential strategy for advancing Durham’s sustainability and climate resilience goals. It focuses on the reuse and adaptation of existing buildings and infrastructure. By rehabilitating historic structures, we can reduce demolition waste, minimize the carbon emissions associated with new construction, and extend the life of materials that have already been extracted and manufactured. Additionally, preservation contributes to climate resilience by maintaining walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods, which ultimately reduces our reliance on cars and promotes more energy-efficient living.
Mark-Anthony Middleton:
No response
Ward 3:
Chelsea Cook: It is my hope that preservation work contributes directly to sustainability and climate resilience goals in the form of keeping green spaces and updating structures to ensure they are not causing harm to the environment and the people nearby. Updating older structures can also invite public space, such as parks and gathering places.
Diana Medoff: I believe preservation can play an important role in advancing Durham’s sustainability and climate resilience goals. By extending the life of existing buildings, we avoid the waste and carbon emissions that come with demolition and new construction. Preserving and adapting historic homes and neighborhoods also supports walkability, reduces sprawl, and helps maintain the embodied energy already invested in these structures. While preservation is just one part of the broader climate strategy, I see it as a meaningful way Durham can balance respect for its history with responsible stewardship of the environment.
Mayor:
Anjanée Bell: Preservation is climate policy. The first rule is simple: the greenest building is the one that already exists. Demolition landfills embodied carbon and demands new, carbon-intensive materials to replace what was lost. In nearly every case, it is better to keep what is built than to replace it.
My approach: Preserve First, Upgrade Always
● Preserve First standard. Any request to demolish a contributing or potentially contributing structure must pass a life-cycle carbon test and include a deconstruction and salvage plan. Demolition is the last resort. Only in very few cases will demolition be warranted after this test. The City will consult national preservation partners to align our standards with best-in-class practice.
● Deep-green rehab. Pair preservation with weatherization, envelope upgrades, electrification-ready panels, and high-efficiency systems. Provide low-interest loans and small grants, and expedite permits for rehab that retains primary structures.
● Adaptive Reuse Bonus. Offer context-safe incentives—reduced parking, modest height or FAR flexibility tied to streetwall protections—for projects that retain significant portions of existing buildings.
● Deconstruction over demolition. When removal is unavoidable, require material salvage and landfill diversion, and build a local salvage market and workforce pathways in deconstruction and preservation trades.
● Intensify without erasing. Where it is argued that historic homes “occupy too much land,” prioritize additions, rear-yard ADUs, courtyard apartments, and over-the-garage units that add homes while keeping street-facing fabric intact.
● Measure what matters. Publicly report CO₂e avoided, landfill diversion, homes rehabilitated, and utility savings to anchor preservation within Durham’s climate goals.
Neighborhood resilience. Historic blocks already deliver climate benefits: mature tree canopy, human-scale streetwalls, and walkable grids that reduce vehicle miles traveled. The City will pair preservation with street-tree replanting, cool roofs where appropriate, permeable surfaces, and green-infrastructure upgrades to reduce heat and flooding risk in vulnerable neighborhoods.
Durham School of the Arts. I share the concern about the historic DSA complex. Demolition and landfilling are not environmentally sound. The City will work with DPS and the County to prioritize adaptive reuse and treat demolition as an extraordinary exception, not a plan.
This is how preservation advances sustainability, strengthens climate resilience, and builds a better Durham for everyone.
Leonardo Williams: Appropriate appreciation of historic preservation efforts informs Durham’s robust sustainability and climate resilience goals by centering the overall efforts of such goals on the pivotally important task of maintaining the character and history of the
community, while taking intentional steps towards addressing the structural inequalities inherent in climate crises. While some may suggested that these preservation and sustainability goals are mutually exclusive, it is incumbent on well-resourced communities like Durham to lead the way in demonstrating that we don’t have to sacrifice history and culture for the sake of progress. Equitable abundance is possible. And it’s possible in Durham.
7. Personal Connection
What is a place in Durham (whether historic or not) that is of particular significance to you? Why?
Ward I:
DeDreana Freeman: My mixed income, mixed race, rental and homeownership very transitional neighborhood of The Golden Belt neighborhood is especially significant to me and my family. It’s a mixed-income, mixed-race, transitional community with both renters and homeowners, and it has been our home for almost 20 years. Working with neighbors to designate Golden Belt as a local historic district in 2012 was a turning point for me. My husband and I were recognized with an award from the Interneighborhood Council of Durham for that effort, and it opened the door to conversations that eventually inspired me to run for City Council. Serving on Council since then has been an honor, rooted in the work that began right here in my own neighborhood.
Matt Kopac: The American Tobacco Campus has particular significance to me, as I spent eleven years working out of the Hill Building while leading sustainability for Burt’s Bees. My kids would come regularly to visit, explore the Hill Building, see the beehive, and walk the length of the campus like a wonderland.
In addition to the vibrancy of being in this beautiful space daily, I had the opportunity to study the history of the campus and the building and proudly share it with student groups and other visitors as a tour guide. I would show pictures, tell stories of the workers who were there before us, and talk about the power of reuse as a sustainability strategy – both for the environment and for cultural heritage.
Durham had an important choice of whether to tear down its tobacco warehouses like many southern cities did or redevelop them. We are so fortunate that they were preserved. Not only is the campus a stunning example of adaptive reuse, it tells such a powerful and important story about our history that could not be told without the physical space for us to inhabit.
Ward 2
Shanetta Burris: North Carolina Central University holds a special place in my heart. As a double graduate of this institution, I have a deep appreciation for our founder, Dr. James E. Shepherd, a true pioneer who left a rich legacy in the greater Durham community. Without the education and mentorship I received during my time at NCCU, I would not be the woman I am today. I am dedicated to our university’s motto, “In truth and service,” and I am committed to ensuring that as Durham continues to grow, we preserve the unique legacy that makes our city special.
Mark-Anthony Middleton: No response
Ward 3:
Chelsea Cook: I have spent a lot of time at the Eno River and love it very deeply. I believe I have hiked every trail of the State Park and have taken classes at West Point. I have done the New Years Day walk with neighbors and have spent so much time with loved ones swimming in the water. Finally, every year I go to the same stretch of the river during Yom Kippur to reflect and meditate. I am so grateful for the historians who have worked to preserve what we know of the people who have cared for this land far before colonization up through the present.
Diana Medoff: One place in Durham that holds particular significance to me is the American Tobacco Campus. I love how it tells the story of our city’s industrial past—especially through the iconic Lucky Strike water tower, smokestack, and preserved factory buildings—while still being a vibrant, functional space for today’s needs. The coal shed and power plant are great examples: their history is honored with signage and design, but they’ve been thoughtfully repurposed for modern use. Throughout the campus, you’ll find artifacts and markers that reflect the rise and fall of the tobacco industry, yet none of it feels frozen in time. Instead, it’s a model for how Durham can preserve its history while creating space for innovation, commerce, and community.
Mayor:
Anjanée Bell: The Kress Building is the place in Durham that most clearly aligns my head and my heart. When I traveled downtown with my father as a little girl—in the years before downtown’s resurgence—the Kress Building was a beacon for me, and it remains so today. Its historic façade, fine-grain storefronts, and human-scale streetwall remind me that beauty and usefulness belong together. It is a building designed for people on foot, for small businesses with big dreams, for a downtown where the sidewalk is the main stage.
Kress carries layers of meaning. It speaks to the five-and-dime era when everyday commerce knit neighbors together. It also stands within a broader Southern story in which public counters and front doors were contested—then reclaimed—by people insisting on dignity. That history matters. The building is more than beautiful; it is instructive.
Kress shapes how I lead. Preservation is an economic strategy, not a museum exercise. Ground floors must work for local entrepreneurs and creatives. New construction must respect the streetwall, the rhythm of bays, the transparency of glass, and the scale that invites people to linger. Adaptive reuse should be the first option, not the last. When we keep a building like Kress alive, we keep small businesses alive, we keep culture alive, and we keep memory within reach.
Kress also informs my approach to affordability. Preserving Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing nearby, supporting repair programs for long-time owner-occupants, and pairing preservation with energy upgrades are how we keep people in place while we welcome growth. The goal is constant: development without displacement, design without erasure.
When I pass the Kress Building, I see what is possible in Durham—craft, care, and commerce working together. That is the city I will steward: a downtown that honors the buildings that shaped us while opening doors for the next generation of makers, families, and small business owners. That is how we build a better Durham for everyone.
Leonardo Williams: A place in Durham that is of particular significance to me is historic Hayti. I firmly believe that there is no better microcosm of the spirit of Durham as a whole, as this community simultaneously reminds us of the groundbreaking excellence of which we are capable in our city, while also continuing to caution us of the necessity of remembering our history, lest we repeat it. We stand on the shoulders of giants each and every day we live our lives in this remarkable city, and it is my honor and privilege to carry forward the story of so many who fought and struggled through history to allow us to be where we are today.
Candidates Submissions
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Ward 2:
Ward 3:
Mayor:
