Candidate Questionnaire, Raquel Carter

Raquel E Carter

Housing

Studies show Lexington needs about 22,500 new housing units across all types to fill the housing gap in our city, but 75% of the needed units are at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

What strategies and locations do you believe Lexington should prioritize for housing growth in order to address these needs?

• Answer:

Our current housing crisis is one of the most pressing issues our community is facing. The rise in housing costs and low housing supply contributes to the increase of those experiencing homelessness, widens the home ownership gap, hinders the ability to recruit new employers and leads to an overall decline in quality of life. As Mayor, I would advocate for a smart development model that focuses on building communities where people want to live and flourish and not just adding units. Families and households at or below 80% of the Area Median Income should have the same expectation of safe and affordable housing without fear of crime, deteriorating property conditions and housing costs greater than 30% of their income. My community development approach would ensure that where housing units are added, so are the appropriate jobs and amenities such as food options, health care access, educational opportunities and recreation that support the quality of life all Lexington residents deserve. My approach to address the housing crisis will be both urgent and comprehensive and include:

• Itemize housing needs by category such as rental, low-to-moderate income, multi-family, entry-level housing, workforce housing and single family homes.
• Identifying available land and existing housing that can be converted or repurposed.
• Increasing density, housing mix and maximum building heights where necessary.
• Proactive review and amendments of current zoning to allow development that fits the identified needs for housing and amenities.
• Leverage of private, local, state and federal funding to add or convert housing units at a pre-determined minimum rate per year.
• Ensure all development and economic investments focus on the inclusion of housing, employment and amenities that add value to the communities in which they are added.
• Provide a transparent and public reporting tool to track results and upcoming projects.

Expansion

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council recently adopted the Preservation and Growth Management Program, which created a data-driven method for considering future expansions of the Urban Service Boundary (USB).

What factors do you believe are most important to consider if an expansion of the Urban Service Boundary was proposed to the Council during your term?

• Answer:

The recently adopted Preservation and Growth Management Program rightly adds pre-defined metrics and processes to consider any future expansions of the Urban Service Boundary. The data to be collected and considered includes growth trends for population, average household sizes, vacant land reviews, and density averages. This data allows for a more objective approach to review the need for any additional expansions and will offer important guidance to Council in considering future expansions. Key responsibilities of our municipal government include housing and economic development, public infrastructure, and providing basic services in addition to public safety and fiscal management. To ensure these responsibilities are met for all Lexington residents I believe that in addition to the the data points adopted by the LPGMP, the following factors must be considered:

• Status on fulfillment of current housing needs for the existing population. The focus on future growth trends is important, but the fulfilment of current needs is urgent and must be confirmed to have been addressed prior to calculating for future needs only.
• Age, utilization and condition of existing infrastructure including roads, sidewalks, water, sewer, utilities, traffic management and public facilities. As density is prioritized, it is important to ensure our current neighborhoods are not suffering as they bear the burden of supplying the current and future needs identified.
• Review of proposed development plans, approval percentages, timelines for approval and average timeline for project completion. Objective land use review must include the ability and timeline of development projects to come to existence and satisfy required needs.
• Detail Segmentation of land identified in the Vacant Land Review to create a weighted scale for land considered vacant or underutilized that is also available for sale or development by the current owner. The balance of property owners’ rights and public need must be considered responsibly.

Agricultural Preservation

Agricultural industries, and the farmland that supports them, have an economic impact of $2.6 billion every year on Lexington-Fayette County’s economy and support more than 16,000 jobs across all twelve council districts.

What policies do you support that promote Lexington’s iconic and productive farmland and protect it from irresponsible future development?

• Answer:

Lexington has strong policies in place to protect the agricultural industries and the farmland that supports them including the Purchase of Development Rights Program (PDR) where the government has purchased development rights from the landowner; the Urban Service Area which limits the area that land can be developed for housing or commercial use; and strict Agricultural zones designed to prevent commercialization in rural areas. These protections have recently been extended by expanding the PDR program to apply to landowners of smaller-scale farms down to 10 acres and the adoption of the Preservation and Growth Management Program. In addition to the strong policies already in place, as Mayor I would support policies that increase economic support and opportunity to the agriculture industry including:

• Supporting workforce development programs that focus on jobs training for the current and future needs of the agriculture and equine industries.
• Increasing economic opportunities for local food producers within my community development plans by specifically addressing current “food deserts” within existing neighborhoods and prioritizing local food options in new developments.
• Identifying new opportunities to increase agritourism through zoning updates and developing farm-to-table opportunities that benefit both local agriculture and the local hospitality industry.