Raleigh entrepreneur Clark Rinehart launches bid for city council seat
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Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Courtesy of Clark Rinehart
Clark Rinehart, a Raleigh-based entrepreneur and interim director of the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership, is throwing his name into consideration for Raleigh City Council's at-large seat.
Why it matters: Candidate filing for the Raleigh City Council races begins on Dec. 1, and the at-large seats are expected to be competitive. Current at-large council member Jonathan Lambert-Melton decided to run for the Wake County Board of Commissioners.
Between the lines: This will also be the first city council election since moving to four-year terms, though those will begin staggered, with the at-large candidate with the most votes getting a four-year term, and second place getting a two-year term.
Driving the news: Rinehart, 38, who lives downtown with his wife, Laura, and two young kids, said he is running to advocate for more housing supply and increased engagement with residents.
- "I feel like I've grown up with our city," Rinehart said, pointing to the incredible growth the city has seen since he moved here more than 15 years ago. "I want to see more and more people have the opportunities like I've had" in this city.
Zoom in: Rinehart, a native of Miami, moved to the Triangle in 2009 to attend Duke Divinity School.
- After working in ministerial roles at Edenton Street United Methodist Church and Grace Community Church, Rinehart has been active in Raleigh's startup scene. He previously worked at The Loading Dock and Innovate Raleigh, and also did consulting work.
State of play: Rinehart said he feels that the city council is on the right track, but needs to continue improving affordability, increasing the supply of housing and providing multiple transit options so that more people can enjoy its growth.
- "We've built layers of density over the years, but I still think there's room for improvement," he said. "My posture will be, personally and professionally, that we can always get better, listen better, lead well, and build in a way that more people will have opportunities."
One big decision that could come before the council in the near term is the future of the old Division of Motor Vehicles headquarters on New Bern Avenue, which the city bought from the state.
- Rinehart has served on a new working group appointed by the city to guide the redevelopment of the site, which sits on an under-construction bus-rapid transit line.
- "I had the privilege of sitting with elders and neighbors ... folks that have seen Raleigh change and not always (in) the best ways," Rinehart said of the working group. "One of my concerns is around displacement, particularly for Black and brown people who live on the east side of town. ... [the city council is] going to have to be keyed in on this."
What they're saying: As a parent to a seven-year-old and a nine-year-old, Rinehart said he wants Raleigh to be a great place for families.
- "I want to create more multi-generational spaces in Raleigh, some of those third places where a grandparent can have a really great experience and watch their grandkids have a really great time in and around the city," he said.