Terrance Ruth, an assistant professor in NC State’s School of Social Work and Africana Studies program, is running for Raleigh mayor, focusing on housing insecurity and equity for all in his second bid for the role.
After finishing second to Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin in 2022, Ruth is returning with a renewed focus, drawing from his leadership experience as the executive director of North Carolina’s NAACP. Ruth said his ability to lead and engage communities goes beyond holding office, making him well-suited to serve Raleigh.
“For mayor, we’re looking for leadership,” Ruth said. “In that leadership, you’re looking for someone who can provide a vision that can make sure they’re being present in community and hear from residents, so when they pass governing decisions that is representative of the population, that type of leadership most of our residents are concerned about they’re concerned about feeling that policy is happening to them and not with them.”
Ruth faces four other candidates in the race. He distinguishes himself through his leadership style and emphasis on addressing the housing crisis.
“Housing, for me, is the key to unlocking every other element,” Ruth said. “That’s why we operate on a housing-first model. Our housing-first model suggests that if you have a person first, you can take care of everything else that’s ailing or impacting that human being.”
Ruth proposes a countywide approach to acquire land for long-term affordable housing, highlighting the need for collaboration among municipalities to address housing shortages in Raleigh and Wake County.
To improve opportunities for Black, brown and women-owned businesses, Ruth plans to implement recommendations from Raleigh’s disparity study, which mandates equitable access to government contracts. He said creating a supportive pipeline for these businesses is essential for building generational wealth and providing pathways out of poverty in the community.
Kristen Williams, an alumna of the NC State Department of Sociology and Anthropology and a small business owner in Raleigh, met Ruth through her organization, Amalgamation, which secures government contracts for Black and women-owned businesses and veterans.
“First of all, he had no hesitation to meet with somebody that he had never heard of and never met,” Williams said. “He invited me to meet him for coffee, and he was just not only so interested in hearing my vision and not just to show that he showed up.”
Ruth’s policies include addressing safety through preventive measures and promoting economic security.
“What we’re seeing is an increase in requests for law enforcement,” Ruth said. “To those who were just given a pay increase, new hires are making almost the same amount as those who have been in law enforcement for five, six years. So they say they’re seeing a decrease in senior officers. And connected to that as well, you’re seeing an increased morale. This is coming from law enforcement.”
Ruth said to enhance the quality of education in the city, it is crucial to ensure that teachers have access to affordable housing in Raleigh.
“We have two teachers at my son’s school who are without a home,” Ruth said. “They’re homeless, but they’re working at the school. So we’re seeing homelessness in situations and in certain economic profiles that we’re not used to.”
Williams said Ruth’s campaign is not just addressing housing security, it is interconnected with other issues like education, equity in government and employment opportunities.
“For me, he’s actually been the first candidate in quite a while that demonstrates this very comprehensive view of how these things are interconnected,” Williams said.
