Councilman Zack Matheny and his two challengers for the District 3 seat, Mohamed Bashir and April Parker, all responded to a News & Record questionnaire asking about their views on addressing the city’s housing crisis.
Early voting ends Saturday and the primary day is Oct. 7.
Mohamed Bashir
Do you support City Manager Trey Davis’ plan for adding 10,000 new homes by 2030? Why or why not?
Yes, I support City Manager Trey Davis’ plan to build 10,000 new houses by 2030, because Greensboro’s predicted population expansion and significant job development from companies like JetZero provide a clear housing demand.
However, success, in my opinion, is dependent on affordability, which means that these homes should serve a variety of income levels, and location, which requires infill development and suburban expansion.
What specific steps would you take to ensure Greensboro has housing that is affordable for middle-class and working people?
I would take the following actions, to name a few, to guarantee that Greensboro has affordable housing:
Provide specific incentives to builders who pledge to create middle-class and working-class homes that meet their affordability standards.
Prioritize expanding the number of high-quality rental properties accessible to middle-class tenants who might not be adequately served by the current rental market.
Extend current down payment support programs to help middle-class households close the gap and become homeowners.
Corporate ownership of single-family houses should be restricted or eliminated as it can increase costs and impede working families’ access to homeownership.
Make sure that, in relation to employment, services, and community resources, transportation alternatives promote affordable, location-efficient housing. For working families, this lowers the overall cost of housing plus transportation.
Members of the current council have said the city will need to increase density across the board in order to overcome the housing shortage. Do you agree? Why or why not?
I agree to increase density across the board in order to overcome the housing shortage by following these steps:
Instead of focusing on suburban spread out, prioritize growing density in Greensboro’s central neighborhoods. This strategy lowers people’s transportation expenses while optimizing infrastructure efficiency.
Improved community involvement and design guidelines that guarantee new high-density construction blends in with existing areas will allay neighborhood worries about density.
In order to solve the severe worker housing shortages, builders set goals for specific units during early boom phases. Greensboro has a history of overcoming housing shortages through quick construction.
In order to meet the urgent need for new housing units and address valid community concerns, it will be crucial to coordinate density increases with improvements to the transportation infrastructure.
Zack Matheny
Do you support City Manager Trey Davis’ plan for adding 10,000 new homes by 2030? Why or why not?
The entire state is facing a housing crisis, and Greensboro is no exception.
We must fully support the city manager’s aggressive initiative to address this urgent need. With strong collaboration between the city, county, and state, I believe we can identify and implement meaningful incentives that will expand housing options and meet the growing needs of our community.
This is not just a local issue. I’s a regional priority, and we need to treat it with the urgency and coordination it deserves.
What specific steps would you take to ensure Greensboro has housing that is affordable for middle-class and working people?
Over my last term, I’ve made housing, especially for our most vulnerable residents, a top priority.
I’ve worked to expand access and improve support for those in need, and I’m proud of the role the Downtown Ambassadors have played as a leading referral source, connecting people to multiple housing resources.
Our city council has taken meaningful steps to support housing for all walks of life, from low-income residents to the middle-class and working families.
We understand that a healthy, thriving city must offer housing options that reflect the diversity of its people. This work isn’t finished, but we’ve made strong progress. And I’m committed to continuing it.
Members of the current council have said the city will need to increase density across the board in order to overcome the housing shortage. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Having served on city council for many years, I’ve supported numerous infill developments that make sense for both the surrounding neighborhoods and the broader community.
Whether it’s housing, office space, hospitality, or mixed-use projects, my decisions have always been grounded in thoughtful planning, community input and long-term benefit.
Smart, strategic development is key to a thriving Greensboro, and I’ll continue to support projects that strike the right balance between growth and neighborhood integrity.
April Parker
Do you support City Manager Trey Davis’ plan for adding 10,000 new homes by 2030? Why or why not?
I support the goal as long as it’s pursued through an authentically equity focused plan.
I am committed to advocating for mixed-income developments throughout our city to build economically diverse neighborhoods.
To support Greensboro’s growth and address our community’s evolving housing needs, we can localize and adopt recommendations from the Carolina Forward: Fair and Affordable Housing Report.
We can make thoughtful, community centered updates to our zoning policies that benefit both current residents and future generations.
By allowing more flexibility in how land is used such as permitting accessory dwelling units (sometimes called “granny pods”) or adding small-scale housing options like townhomes and duplexes we can gently increase housing availability without disrupting the character of our neighborhoods.
My own condo reflects what’s possible: a community where people of different ages, backgrounds and life stages live together in shared space. That’s the kind of future I believe we can build across the city.
What specific steps would you take to ensure Greensboro has housing that is affordable for middle-class and working people?
Affordable housing is senior housing and it’s workforce housing for the teachers, nurses, social workers and first responders who keep Greensboro going.
To make housing more affordable for middle-class and working families, we must adopt smart, proven strategies like those in the Carolina Forward Middle-Class Housing Plan.
That includes updating zoning laws to allow duplexes, townhomes, and other “missing middle” housing in more neighborhoods, streamlining permitting to cut costs and delays, and partnering with funders to support below market rate developments.
These steps will support communities where seniors can age in place, young families can build a future, and essential workers can afford to live near where they serve.
Members of the current council have said the city will need to increase density across the board in order to overcome the housing shortage. Do you agree? Why or why not?
I agree, Greensboro is changing. Increasing density doesn’t mean large apartment complexes on every block.
Many of us, myself included, aren’t looking for big lawns. We’re looking for communities where we can walk, live near work, and have access to everyday needs.
As our city grows, our perceptions about what is possible must grow. Also, this planning and execution must be guided by strategies that prevent gentrification and promote social and economic integration across all neighborhoods.
One of the main reasons I’m running for office is because I do not trust the current representative’s approach to development.
There’s been a lack of meaningful understanding around preventing displacement and far too much acceptance of the harmful, normalized existence of poor neighborhoods. Greensboro deserves better.
We need economically diverse neighborhoods that are designed for real life. We can’t afford to give this incumbent an inch because the truth is, you can’t fix in a few months what you’ve failed to do in 20 years.
kevin.griffin@greensboro.com
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