Raleigh’s 2020 Bond Referendum

Affordable Housing

Client

Citizens Supporting Raleigh

Year

2020

Awards & Mentions

  • The bond passed with a 73% margin

Deliverables

  • Branding Campaign
  • Website
  • Social Media
  • Paid and Earned Media
  • Direct Mail

Affordable Housing Bond

The unique 2020 election cycle posed a challenge for Sinclair Public Affairs’ client, The Raleigh Affordable Housing Bond campaign. Affordable housing is among the most critical issues facing local communities like Raleigh that are experiencing significant growth and the accompanying infrastructure needs, like improved housing options, that come from that growth. The city’s leaders recognized the need for improved affordable housing options – and set a goal to pass a bond that aimed to help provide safe housing options for all residents, especially during the pandemic crisis.

The $80 million bond, now passed, will provide funding for:

  • Public-private partnerships for new developments
  • Buying land for future affordable housing
  • Rehabilitating homes
  • Gap financing given to nonprofits and developers to help cover the costs of building affordable housing
  • Money for first-time homebuyers

We Designed

A Rigorous,

Blended Campaign

Our Strategy

The 2020 election cycle presented a challenge for the smaller, local issue.

In a noisy General Election campaign season, it was important to cut through the noise, competing to reach voters via traditional advertising as well as emerging social and digital media avenues.

Sinclair PA helped develop a plan that worked – by reaching and resonating with local Raleigh voters. Starting with an effective message for voters about housing options the team created a website that connected voters via direct mail, digital advertising and targeted social media. The outreach helped define housing options that were:

  • Affordable
  • Safe
  • Accessible to transportation hubs
  • Available to essential workers

Print Materials

The Sinclair PA team designed and distributed two pieces of mail to high performing voters meeting certain demographic and target market parameters. Overall, the two mailers were distributed to nearly 40,000 households in the city of Raleigh.

Digital Assets

The campaign website included current activities and images, testimonies and endorsements, funding information, and an overview of the 5-year-impact.  Alongside the site, Sinclair PA also designed a series of advertisements which aired on local radio stations, and were published in digital newsletters and newspapers.

The campaign proved a resounding success – 73% of Raleigh voters cast their ballots in favor of the $80 Affordable Housing Bond. The bond was the largest investment in affordable housing in the city in over two decades.

The result: the final vote included more than 70% of a city-wide yes vote, meaning the campaign was successful in reaching voters and compelling them to support the bond. This is an important marker for Raleigh as it continues to grow and is recognized as a premier regional city for families, employers and all of its citizens.

Sinclair Public Affairs received a Marcom Honorable Mention in the website copy category. For more information about Sinclair’s award-winning work in 2020, read the blog here.

Sinclair Public Affairs has worked on numerous successful ballot initiatives, both local and statewide. Read more about Sinclair’s ballot initiative work through Marsy’s Law case study or the Connect NC case study.