Durham City Council approved a $14 million Planning & Development Department and expanded Community Safety services to $11.2 million while Mayor Middleton and Council Member Caballero clashed over whether gun violence deserves comparable city investment to homelessness.
Mayor Middleton and Council Member Caballero clashed over gun violence investment, with Middleton calling it the city's top priority and arguing it deserves comparable resources to homelessness initiatives.
City Council approved a new Planning & Development Department with a $14 million budget, 110 employees, and six new positions to process development cases faster than the 85 percent industry benchmark.
Community Safety services budget expanded from $7.3 million to $11.2 million, including growth of the HART crisis response program from 6 to 10 units and a new Office of Survivor Care.