Raleigh voters will pick a new mayor and City Council members this November.
All eight council seats, including the mayor’s, are up for grabs, with all the incumbents except for current Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin seeking another two-year term.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Early voting runs from Thursday, Oct. 17, through Saturday, Nov. 2.
To help inform voters across the state, this candidate questionnaire is available to be republished by local publications in North Carolina without any cost. Please consider subscribing to The News & Observer to help make this coverage possible.
Name: Jared Ollison
District/seat: Raleigh City Council, District C
Political party: Democrat
Age as of Nov. 5, 2024: 49
Campaign website: JaredOllisonForRaleigh.com
Current occupation: Capitol Police officer
Education: Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Public Administration
Offices sought/held: None
Please list any notable government or civic involvement .
I have served as a law enforcement professional for 30 years, including serving in the US Air Force military police and the Wake County Sheriff’s Office. I also served as the director of Detention Services for the Wake County Sheriff’s Office. Under my leadership I developed partnerships with community leaders and elected officials to improve services for staff and for jail residents. As a public official it is critical to build consensus and partnerships with all citizens for the betterment of the community.
I was honored to be selected to serve on the Wake County Emergency COVID–19 task force under the leadership of Wake County Chief Resident Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway.
Other involvements include:
•Wake County Mental Health Committee – Worked to improve the availability of county mental health resources
.•Martin Street Baptist Church – lifelong member
•Raleigh-Wake NAACP Member
•Shaw University local and national Alumni associations – member.
Which Raleigh City Council district do you live in? C
What is the top issue facing Raleigh now and how would you address it?
There are a number of issues impacting the citizens of Raleigh. However, if I had to select the most pressing issue it would be the lack of affordable housing choices citywide. As a member of the City Council, I would work closely with our community partners, including community agencies and developers to develop housing at a sustainable price.
What is your strategy for increasing affordable housing in Raleigh?
As stated previously, and as a lifelong resident of Raleigh and District C it is unfortunate to find countless instances of citizens who are forced to move to another county so that they can find quality and affordable housing. As city leaders that should not be acceptable if we want to improve the lives of our citizens.
We should explore ways of diversifying affordable housing options throughout the city and not in one district. We should continue to work closely with state and federal agencies to secure grants that could jumpstart developments at an affordable price point for our citizens.
As a member of the City Council, I would continue to support transit-oriented developments, also known as “TODs,” which provides quality affordable housing options near multi-modal transit projects such as the RUSBus project currently being constructed in downtown Raleigh.
Should the city be more aggressive about requiring affordable units from developers or partner with nonprofits?
Yes, it is the responsibility of the city leadership to be proactive in making sure that all of Raleigh’s citizens have affordable housing opportunities. In order to accomplish this goal city leaders must become more aggressive and bring developers to the table.
Do you think Raleigh can support concert venues both downtown and in Dix Park?
Yes
Would you describe Raleigh’s growth as too fast, too slow or just right?
It is understandable that Raleigh continues to be one of the best places to live, work, and play. So naturally, there will be an expectation of increased interest in moving here. However, in order to grow responsibly city leaders must be deliberate to achieve balanced growth which provides opportunities for all. Yes, Raleigh is growing an appropriate pace. However, city leaders need to improve their preparation to be sure that the infrastructure supports the growth.
Do you think Raleigh is losing too many historic properties? If so, how should this be addressed?
Yes, Raleigh is losing too many historical properties. City leaders should form a task force to identify vulnerable historic properties and work with local preservation agencies to be sure that the history is not lost. We must remember that our history is what made Raleigh great.
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