The city of Raleigh is contacting 10,000 residents. Some of them will get $1,000.
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Raleigh mailed notices to 10,000 utility customers to recruit civic lottery entrants.
- Lottery will select 40 residents reflecting city demographics to shape comprehensive plan.
- Selected participants will attend six Saturday sessions in Jan–Feb 2025, paid $1,000.
Don’t toss that city of Raleigh letter. It could be your chance to get $1,000 and help plan Raleigh’s future.
Notices should arrive this week for 10,000 random Raleigh utility customers enticing residents to enter a “civic lottery” and be paid $1,000 for their efforts.
If you get the letter and express interest in joining the assembly, you’ll be placed in a lottery where 40 people will be selected who reflect Raleigh’s age, race, neighborhood and background demographics to help guide the city’s next comprehensive plan.
A comprehensive plan is a long-range planning document that outlines the vision for the city, where and how the city should grow, and tangible steps the city could take to reach that goal over the next 20 years. The assembly will specifically be asked to provide answers to the following questions:
“Raleigh is in the process of improving bus service around the city. How should the next Comprehensive Plan help improve access to the new service? What should the neighborhoods served by frequent bus service look like?”
The 40 residents will be required to participate in six all-day sessions on Saturdays on the following dates: Jan. 10, Jan. 24, Jan. 31, Feb. 7, Feb. 21 and Feb. 28.
The sessions will run from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and breakfast, lunch and snacks will be provided. Translation services and childcare will also be provided. If you’re doing the math, that comes out to $25 per hour for 40 hours of work. It will be paid in two $500 payments.
“It’s important for people to see themselves reflected in the decisions that city government makes — but often, the city hears from a lot of the same people,” said Sarah Shaughnessy, a city of Raleigh planner, in a city memo about the assembly. “There are all kinds of reasons people don’t participate in events like town halls and local meetings: maybe they don’t have much confidence in government, feel under-informed about the topic, or are busy working or taking care of their families when these meetings are scheduled.”
People interested in learning more can attend virtual informational sessions: at noon, Nov. 13, and 6 p.m., Nov. 17.
An in-person session is scheduled at a yet-to-be determined location at 6 p.m. Dec. 4.
Raleigh’s Comprehensive Plan
Raleigh is also seeking professors or experts to join five technical teams that will join city staff and representatives from city boards and commissions. The city is seeking “subject-matter experts” on:
- land use
- transportation
- housing and neighborhoods
- natural resources
- infrastructure and services
Members of the team would be expected to attend a 60 to 90-minute meeting once a month for five months starting in February. Childcare and snacks are provided, and $200 will be paid for the work.
People can apply online at engage.raleighnc.gov/technical-team-application.
The city’s current comprehensive plan goes through 2030, and was adopted in 2009. Initial community engagement and the work of community members will help shape the draft of the plan, which begins in summer 2026. The plan will likely be released in early 2027 with many chances to provide feedback before the plan is adopted by the Raleigh City Council in the second half of 2027.
This story was originally published November 11, 2025 at 1:47 PM.
