[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6558690,"mediaKeyId","3235554-1a0c185bc1ed09d1cbf0cd18300c4b22","parentId",3235554,"title","Public commenters press city for answers on OEWD payments and for investment in programs for young men of color","audioSeconds",226,"startMs",1104000,"endMs",1330000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3235554-1a0c185bc1ed09d1cbf0cd18300c4b22&start=1104&end=1330","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3235554-1a0c185bc1ed09d1cbf0cd18300c4b22/thumbnail_1104000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6558690/Durham-City/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Public-commenters-press-city-for-answers-on-OEWD-payments-and-for-investment-in-programs-for-young-men-of-color","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6558690-c66e5b350dd166be0b8a96f53957f384/orig.mp4?Expires=1771003861&Signature=oLi6v1mwvpSGM-uzTYLAwhZ4CAbcxDPlP~suhUU0LRpgrsfdzJ4eVZlqBxqtFkW05UxIQroRvdoiaBlnGLp963Aug3Uqdj~1GIPPwGERwiy4jt9vUxHCztG9VfvoFOyMT0TTNHqeRBnDVtXIZoP2LPEj8uJQ0BpLBorPB~U3mr0qfP5QX08WvCyrh-DNLDMnLVOvRxMghbTAOt6gdlY-3~xo1LEvsDhb0R-8L7ByIZNU-ddMASwnZ-lNLfXgeYk8b2b2b-NjELp~Ar4~VAebeK4nm3WaZlUSvsH4uu-rtfpeK3V-T~qYFXoDjREO2x4DYVkzpktTUVPGqy7MKWpDZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Durham","date","2025-05-09T07:12:01Z","article","Two members of the public used the council's public-comment period to press city staff for quicker responses on a workforce-disbursement complaint and to ask council for sustained investment in supports for young men of color.

Joshua Robinson said that participants in an OEWD-run MFA cohort still had not received expected disbursements from the program and asked the city to \"hold Ed Nixon, Arthur Anderson, all the people who are in OEWD\" to provide a timeline. Robinson said he had reached out to 12 cohort members and that only two had been paid; he said he had last received a formal response on April 10 and asked for a clear disbursement date.

The mayor and staff responded that staff had been working with Robinson and that he would receive a response by the following morning; staff asked him to provide contact details so the response could be delivered.

Duwan Langley, volunteer executive director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Foundation, urged council to invest tax dollars in programs serving young men of color and described the foundation's comprehensive approach to mentoring, job-readiness and workforce training. Langley asked the council to \"center our young people\" and to use public funding in addition to private philanthropy to scale proven programs.

Both public comments were recorded under the meeting's citizen matters portion; staff committed to follow up with Robinson on the disbursement timeline and councilmembers acknowledged Langley's request for increased public investment and cross-sector coordination.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Durham City Council Work Session for May 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Public commenters raised two issues at the work session: concerns about delayed disbursements under an OEWD program and a request for sustained city investment in services for young men of color.","taxTitle","Durham City, Durham County, North Carolina","taxId",5766,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6558695,"Council motions: excused absence granted, manager items received; closed session scheduled",191,486000,677000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3235554-1a0c185bc1ed09d1cbf0cd18300c4b22&start=486&end=677","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3235554-1a0c185bc1ed09d1cbf0cd18300c4b22/thumbnail_486000.jpg","/articles/6558695/Durham-City/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Council-motions-excused-absence-granted-manager-items-received-closed-session-scheduled","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6558695-84d4a73fb3bf09e03637c30264fb4286/orig.mp4?Expires=1771003860&Signature=QXIFpeZdGRgVqEFv5AiIeiQ66ViwWSfF6Jg-cmni8WAorud2q62Vg9scXJOZ8DWIR4h~qz28H4Tilyk8IDybVxpEA125J8-w7F85tgNKZ8w0M9PozuMbh2Ggtc05Hi8VdPQt4B1NJfXwLikkGRBmtptyHKKGy7gCXWZcBrWjl2sDD7WO3a8Tbns4yOOyNL7yZfxbS6qaM-egMfhUS2HbaRv2dnhMXpBlYtnRDNRjHJcr2O8VTIPbHtfNvXa2NbZrYo~m4yHn7e74EgCJTPWRYf6sfaa1R~JSad02Uv7Pg8Zk8X1BaN~k0DBs8qlmVSIMnOmRBW7w5BVYqfjCPllgPA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Durham City Council took several procedural votes during the work session: it granted an excused absence for a council member, received the city manager's priority items, amended and settled the agenda for the upcoming Monday meeting, and scheduled a closed session for attorney'client consultation.

A motion to accept an excused absence for Council member Caballero on May 22 was made, seconded and approved by voice vote (\"Aye\"). The council then moved to receive the city manager's priority items; that motion was made, seconded and approved unanimously.

The city attorney requested a closed session pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 143-318.11(a)(3) for attorney'client consultation concerning Town of Chapel Hill v. City of Durham, case number 85 CVS 3108. Council members moved and seconded to hold the closed session; the motion carried by voice vote and the closed session was scheduled for later in the meeting.

At the end of the session council members amended the Monday agenda: consent items were adjusted, the fiscal-year budget presentation (item 24) and the resolution related to House Bill 765 were placed on the GBA (General Business Agenda). The amended agenda motion passed by voice vote.

These procedural votes were taken without recorded roll-call tallies in the transcript; outcomes were recorded as unanimous voice votes or \"Aye.\"","The council approved an excused absence, received manager priority items, amended and settled the Monday meeting agenda and scheduled a closed session for attorney–client consultation in the Chapel Hill v. Durham matter.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6558699,"Planning staff outline FY26 work program: several small-area plans to be started, drafts for two by FY26",327,1444000,1771000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3235554-1a0c185bc1ed09d1cbf0cd18300c4b22&start=1444&end=1771","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3235554-1a0c185bc1ed09d1cbf0cd18300c4b22/thumbnail_1444000.jpg","/articles/6558699/Durham-City/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Planning-staff-outline-FY26-work-program-several-small-area-plans-to-be-started-drafts-for-two-by-FY26","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6558699-df57fee4bc2c012ed58b6f830db2ba14/orig.mp4?Expires=1771003860&Signature=faoiRpezfiTuM5mCD0zLy00vNW0MN1saCHQP44nw54V~FroL5-ZiZW6eIySWQOSqplePk39oLq11SyUEmzsWVckcrHePK1TUyQTl70nmppD--2ME3ETMNazkCqKhc-uAwcceIimpuSJH4lVdOgy8ttmW6FbjB-epphdq3hbaS81B2Vu2TyOY-FJWlHZgyYZWSOqA~05RIUutIWSkpY3YRFaJcFP7Y8s07LMbT9AVQ3N~w2FQdvh~HsGBBQ81Tbq6Comkz1BaYLEl6UikhP0PoPYhjFgfI6prDgj5kIvXKLhaFdg6c-pdAvpDyBPlCzkL-xZEd4eNhAaL0quV0lYNZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City planning staff told the Durham City Council work session that the proposed fiscal year 2026 planning work program is ambitious and includes several small-area plans intended to guide local investment and land-use decisions.

Sarah Young, planning department director, said the program aims to start multiple small-area plans during FY26 and deliver draft plans for some areas by the end of the year while initiating others.

\"The deliverable for Lakewood is that we will have a draft completed by the end of FY26. For Greater Braggtown, the same thing, a draft completed by FY26. But for Hillside Oak Ridge, it's just that we initiate the project before the end of the fiscal year,\" Young told council members.

Council members said they welcomed the long-range work but urged pacing to avoid overpromising and to preserve staff capacity. Council member Jill Baker asked for a Gantt-style timeline similar to the Vision Zero plan; council member Dan Rist expressed interest in how small-area plans will affect council and developer actions.

Young and staff said small-area plans are policy documents, not regulatory by themselves, but they can inform the place-type map, capital investments and zoning changes. She said plans also function as a communication tool to show private landowners and developers the city's vision for specific neighborhoods.

Council members and staff discussed sequencing and resource allocation. Young said one reason the program looks large is that different plans include different deliverables and expected completion stages; some plans will have only initiation tasks in FY26 rather than full drafts.

Council members requested follow-up materials: a clearer timeline/Gantt chart and explicit descriptions of deliverables for each small-area plan so elected officials and residents can track progress and expected outcomes.

The discussion clarified staff expectations and the planning department's approach to balancing ambition with resources; council members signaled support for careful sequencing and additional briefings as the work program moves into FY26.","City planning staff described a busy FY26 work program that includes multiple small-area plans; staff and council discussed timelines, deliverables and the role of small-area plans in guiding investment and zoning decisions.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6558704,"Durham racial-equity commission reports progress, urges better data and sustained investment",3064,2269000,5333000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3235554-1a0c185bc1ed09d1cbf0cd18300c4b22&start=2269&end=5333","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3235554-1a0c185bc1ed09d1cbf0cd18300c4b22/thumbnail_2269000.jpg","/articles/6558704/Durham-City/Durham-County/North-Carolina/Durham-racial-equity-commission-reports-progress-urges-better-data-and-sustained-investment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6558704-73b7b618106659a3893b1c005d34a95a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771003860&Signature=DYyjX1-VksyoFN3fRBvwABnkgIUqrY7sBXVRUlSGFCjrXqzhzXvnf9uFYKQjqnqJ7AhMeJznj6I9PjGKdrZmXn6Em2IHBNwK8A1ahR~ZOfZ6WjP1AFvvCqfMTlslxSmEshXUNZzohdDY9JUdua55rpUfPgrzXjCYRMyVqVAiajNhDrW90iTWi8~omf~55RyKQskPhVh69j-lQ4cyV7a1jppyR8QOXNb2TbzieytQZAlKAo2fQ1BCca~WKoQl5BCVW5p7535AE1U4~XEVEk8s5JENpCi9zlxcAYHowFl7uu~4Jng8v5wK3kpj4b3NbnjoCr--L1P3MxRDxeLGVAfXPA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Durham Racial Equity Commission on a city council work session presented an update on the 2020 Durham Racial Equity Task Force recommendations and urged the city and county to centralize data and increase investment in proven programs.

The commission, created in 2022 to follow up on the 2020 task force, said the city and county have made measurable gains — from expanding diversion programs and crisis response to affordable-housing grants — but that inconsistent, hard-to-find data and limited program scale hamper progress.

\"We are a body of around 17 folks, both from the city and county appointed,\" commission member Nisha Williams told council members as she opened the presentation. Williams and fellow commissioner Elena Snavely described work by subcommittees on wealth and economy, housing, criminal legal system reform, education, and health and environmental justice.

The commission cited specific advances. Elena Snavely pointed to a $40,000,000 Choice Neighborhoods grant secured by the Durham Housing Authority to redevelop public housing and a new Durham County guaranteed-income pilot providing payments to 25 families. Commissioners also highlighted the Durham Emergency Rental Assistance program, which provided aid to more than 3,500 households during the pandemic, and the city-backed Durham HEART (Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Team), which the presentation said has diverted more than 11,000 crisis calls from police since its 2022 launch.

At the same time, commissioners flagged areas they say need more attention: declining Black homeownership rates in gentrifying neighborhoods, the limited reach of guaranteed-income pilots, racial disparities in traffic stops and sentencing, and gaps in reentry supports for formerly incarcerated residents.

Snavely urged the city to require racial-equity impact assessments for new projects and to expand tenant protections, eviction prevention and permanent supportive housing. Commissioners also asked the council to support better public access to up-to-date, race-disaggregated data across city and county portals.

\"Data should be easily exported,\" the presentation said; Snavely told council staff turnover has left some analytics functions uncertain and urged renewed investment in a data analytics services group to produce dashboards and accessible datasets.

Council members praised the commission's work and asked follow-ups about data sources and potential next steps. Council member Mark-Anthony Middleton was noted absent and excused; several council members expressed interest in detailed follow-up on specific recommendations such as expanding guaranteed-income pilots and working with higher-education partners on data and workforce pathways.

The commission invited council members to attend its monthly meetings and said it will continue refining bylaws and prioritizing items it can influence directly at the local-government level.

The commission's presenters were Nisha Williams and Elena Snavely; Williams introduced the commission and Snavely detailed subcommittee findings and specific recommendations. Council members asked for additional, exportable data and for the commission to dig deeper into housing displacement and workforce-access issues.

Looking ahead, the commission asked the city and county to: formalize centralized equity data and dashboards; expand proven pilots (for example, guaranteed income and diversion programs); require equity impact assessments on major projects; and strengthen investments in affordable-housing and reentry supports.

The presentation is an update, not a binding policy action; council members indicated support for continued collaboration and asked staff to return with more concrete numbers and implementation plans where appropriate.","The Durham Racial Equity Commission presented an update on the 2020 Durham Racial Equity Task Force recommendations, highlighting progress on housing, workforce and public-safety diversion programs while calling for centralized, accessible equity data and continued city and county investment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public commenters press city for answers on OEWD payments and for investment in programs for young men of color

Council motions: excused absence granted, manager items received; closed session scheduled

Planning staff outline FY26 work program: several small-area plans to be started, drafts for two by FY26

Durham racial-equity commission reports progress, urges better data and sustained investment