Indy Week magazine did not endorse Orange County's Affordable Housing Bond for the upcoming election, to the surprise and anger of many in the Chapel Hill-Carbarro community.
Community leaders and members were disappointed with Indy Week and responded with tweets, letters and community action.
The Indy Week did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.
The Indy Week editorial board chose not to endorse the $5 million bond for affordable housing because they believed Orange County did not have a plan for where the funds would be allocated.
Samuel Gunter, director of policy and advocacy for the North Carolina Housing Coalition said a representative and a group from Orange County’s Affordable Housing Coalition and the Community Empowerment Fund went to Indy Week’s office to deliver their coherent plan while singing their own endorsement songs.
“I was very shocked and disappointed they did not endorse,” Gunter said. “Their primary concern was that they lacked sufficient clarity about what the money would do, which was frustrating because they could have looked online.”
Bethany Chaney, member of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen, said Indy Week is very influential in the Triangle elections and has built its influence on analysis and engagement, as well as its ability to keep track of candidates. Something they failed to do with the Orange County bond.
“They contacted no one. They didn’t even go to the Housing Coalition,” Chaney said. “It’s their responsibility to go a little deeper to make a reasoned judgement from information.”
Gunter said Asheville and Greensboro have affordable housing bonds on the ballot this year. The way these strategies work is to propose funds to the community and then have meetings to allocate money after the bond is voted on.
