I remember when honey suckles grew along my driveway and in my backyard. When I was a chubby monster, my big sister helped me pick them. I was too small to reach the high branches. My hands were too tiny to pick between the ripe and unripe flowers, but my sister picked the best. The honey from the flower was clear and sweet potato pie sweet. We would suck the honey out of the flower and toss the flowers on the ground; we were like Winnie the Poo on the hunt for the world’s best honey. We feasted on them as we walked up the hill towards the house - that was my childhood spring. As I grew, my mother taught me how to garden and my dad taught me how to rake and gathered wood for our summer fire pile. The smell of burning pine filled the woods like a barbecue pit. As a young girl, I noticed brightly colored leaves scattered around the yard. Colors of yellows, browns,and reds painted the ground it was so beautiful. My favorite thing to do was ride in the country with my dad in the fall.

My father would use a leaf blower to get rid of the leaves while my sister and I raked, it would take us hours to finished; the yard was that large. During the winter, my sister and I would go hiking through the snow deep into the woods- the woods was our ski resort. With gloves and heavy jackets, we build snowmen and igloos during North Carolina’s worst winter storm. The snow covered the ground like a blanket and sat on top of tree branches like clouds; 18 inches of snow covered on the ground and we were out of school for weeks. In the summer, we would play outside sometimes with our neighbor Hunter- we only had a few neighbors. You see country living is simple and quiet, it’s like sweet sun tea. At my house, I have seen wild turkeys, deer, raccoons, foxes, lighten bugs, and owls roaming our land. The woods are my backyard and the woods are North Carolina.

As I became a teenager, I no longer appreciated the country. I wanted to go the mall and to high school football games. There was nothing in my town to do so I headed to Raleigh and Cary to meet up with friends. I wanted to live in the city. I was sick of slow country and the farmlands, horses, and country folks. I was sick of traveling 15 miles to the nearest grocery story. I wanted out and I got my wish. I now wish, I could tell my younger self be careful with what you wish for.

After I graduated from college, I heard that my town was going to be home to a bunch of neighborhoods. Hunter’s family moved, then the Bristol’s moved, and other people around us moved. I paid no attention. In my town, New Hill North Carolina, every home owner has about 3 acres plus. Initially, I thought other people would move in, but no one did. Six of my neighbors moved over a year span. In the summer of 2015, a construction company settled on the side of our road laying down tape and putting up “protected tree area” signs. I heard from an older man that they were going to build about 50 houses on our streets. My mother thought he was lying. I didn’t believe him either, until later. One week over the summer I saw bulldozers and loaders clearing out trees. Then the next month they tore down the old houses that were built there. They began to put up signs that read “housing development.” The next month, the pine trees in my backyard were gone, acres of trees were wiped out. All that was left was Hunter’s house and a tiny blue house. It took them two weeks to tear those houses down. I remember one day in Elementary school, I had spent the day at Hunter’s house drinking Mountain Dew, her mother had fun games plan for us…but now the house was gone. My mother told me later that one of our neighbors were offered $400,000 to move. The North Carolina pine trees that stood proudly in the soil were piled on the dirt like paper. Six empty country houses mostly made of wood had been destroyed; those houses were beautiful and custom built. I used to play in the woods but now there was nothing- clay and dirt. If I told you trees used to be there you would call me a liar.

Hunter's old house.

If you get a chance to travel though Friendship and Holly Springs you will see a lot of land being cleared for housing development. In fact, Apex permitted a consultant to clear 3,000 acres of rural land (In the New Hill and Friendship Area) that is equivalent to 4.96 square miles for this market study. This study is to analysis the market for retail and commercial business. Word on the street is Apex wants to compete with Holly Springs and Fuquay, so in order to compete for business the town has to have people living in the town willing to buy in the market.

This study enabled the North Carolina of Home Builders Association of Raleigh (NCHBA) to begin housing development. Housing is the first step, but the retail and business is what the market is after. Many people in my neighborhood resisted the market study, but unfortunately the country man’s cry doesn't work for politics and big business. Recently, my mother checked the new housing lots and she told me that five have already sold. Each lot is selling for $300,000 or more, meaning these neighborhoods are worth millions. Six months ago, a housing developer came to my house and told my parents they could fit about seven houses on our land. My dad didn’t budge. Instead he told him “have a nice day sir.”

Unfortunately, I don’t see the animals anymore that used to run wild in my backyard. The creek adjacent to my mailbox is now stuff with concrete and cement thanks to the new workers. I wish I could protest, but I would have to take on the NCHBA of not only Raleigh but the National Home Builders Association. The NHBA has a big influence over American politics. They tell us it’s good for the economy and it will promote jobs. As for me, the worst thing about it is in a couple of years my house may be the next Walmart. In about twenty years, I’m not sure if there will be a tree standing in North Carolina. The American Tobacco Trail that is up the street of my house is in jeopardy in too. Over the summer, surveyors were on the trail asking hikers, runners, and dog walkers would we like to eat on the trail and how often do we use the trail etc. I should have asked questions, but I was too naive to put two and two together.

All these trees being cut down makes me wonder does North Carolina really care about Climate Change. It makes me wonder if North Carolina's governor, Ray Cooper, just said things to get elected. It makes me wonder, do Democrats really care about the environment or is this all a money scheme? Is Global Warming as big of a concern as Americans say it is? To be honest, I don’t think people realize that population growth affects climate change more so than livestock and fashion.

*what is in front of my house*

This biggest threat to climate change is rapid population growth and development. A recent study at University of California Berkley, found that Suburban neighborhoods release more carbon emissions than their city counterpart. These emissions come from mostly vehicles “the suburbs account for about 50 percent of all household emissions in the nation, even though less than 50 percent of the population lives in these areas.” The study didn’t mention, how many trees were cut down to make way for these neighbors, neither does it mention sewage, electricity, plumbing/piping, and electricity. The scariest part is home building permits in North Carolina is skyrocketing. In 2017, North Carolina issued 42,815 single- family and multi- family- building permits (privately owned housing units), the fourth most home building permits in the Country behind California, Florida, and Texas. The State has gotten soft on permit restrictions.

While North Carolina’s population increase and the economy boost, our environment and land will suffer. Behind those building permits is the NC Home Builders Association. In fact, the NCHBA of Raleigh, is part of the National Home Owners Associations which builds 80 percent of American homes. In 2016, NHBA endorsed 137 congressional candidates, this is the first time in 74 years the NHBA has endorse candidates. Ten of those endorsed candidates were North Carolinian including our state senator Richard Bur. According to the National Home Owners Associations mission statement, their objective is to protect the American dream of housing opportunities for all, while working…… to create jobs and strengthen our economy.” It sounds good on paper, but we all know suburban neighborhoods are not affordable to all especially those who need houses.

The homes that are built are expensive, because the type of people they want to attract is those who have money to spend on retail. This is textbook gentrification. They raise the price on land and housing and drive out country folks, black folks, and poor folks, yet no social justice warrior bats an eye. The Housing industry and Housing in general is extremely important to the American economy so much so political candidates, no matter their party affiliation is become pro housing and pro -development regardless of how housing development can threaten the environment. The NHBA makes sure they endorse candidates that put their interest on the top of the agenda.

Home's for sale in New Hill

Although the NHBA cannot make direct contribution to a candidate, the NHBA makes indirect contributions by successfully implementing and running the Build- Pac. The Build- Pac is a political action community “dedicated to raising and spending money to either elect or defeat candidates running for political office (Home Builders Association of Raleigh). According to Alex Kotch, an investigative journalist based in Brooklyn New York found, N.C. Home Builders Association (NCHAB) donated $460,000 to state candidates and party PACS from 2011-2014 making it “the state’s 14^th highest election spender among the top power brokers.” Shockingly, in 2002 the N.C. Build-Pac, was North Carolina’s “second- highest donor to state candidates in 2002 and fourth in 2016. The NCHAB are powerful lobbyists who have influence major bills concerning building design, property development, remodeling, real estate transfer taxes, and regulatory reform. When it comes to politics, money talks. And on the local level, money talks the loudest.

With all these new houses, I decided to do some research. I called the Environmental Agency of Wake county, NC builder permit, and I also called NC real estate and they all told me the same thing call your councilmen. I was in shock, no one could tell me what was going on why. So I emailed my councilmen and he issued me this statement back:

“I don’t like the growth rate either, but towns are stuck with trying to manage growth because for some unknown reason the United States wishes to grow…..I do push back on many of these developments, but the realism is that we are stuck with the growth situation. I chair our Economic Development committee where we try to bring business to Apex and locate them close to housing so people can walk or bike to work. The problem now is the Republican legislature has taken away town authority to do more than is required by state law. “

After I read this email, I felt like there was nothing I could do. I was tired of digging and digging. I thought my councilmen had the answers that I was searching for, but he was like me, stuck. I began to look for more information. I stumbled upon an article written in May 2016, Apex Growth Plan Prompts Concerns from Rural Residents posted in the SouthWest Wake News. By reading the article, I found out Apex is expected “to grow by between 38,000 and 60,000 residents by 2035, requiring between 14,000 and 22,000 new units of housing.” Fortunately, Apex Mayor Lance Olive is giving my parents and other residents of New Hill the option of selling our land to developers. Thank you Lance Olive for giving us options. The problem with Apex making decisions for New Hill, is that the councilmen that live in Apex and are not New Hill residents, so how can they tell us what is best for New Hill? Oh yeah, by eventually annexing New Hill.

Deep in the neighborhood in New Hill

As I continued to read news about the market study, I came across the name Suzanne Harris. Harris is the vice president of governmental affairs with the Home Builders Association in Raleigh. In response to the controversy of the market study Harris said to SouthWest Wake News “I want to convince you that the benefits of growing outweigh the pains.” I decided to contact Suzanne Harris, I left her a few voice mails and I sent her a couple of emails. I was anxiously waiting on her response. I wanted her to convince me that there are benefits to development and I also express my concerns about how the large housing development affects the environment. Unfortunately, she couldn’t answer my questions about urban development and climate change but she said she will get back to me with the explanation of her quote. She responded via email:

"Apex is currently one of the most sought after municipalities in Wake County to live. Growth brings many great benefits including housing choices, jobs, shopping, entertainment, arts & cultural events, new schools, and hopefully many other benefits. Our Association is a trade association for residential builders and developers and we don't get involved in individual rezoning cases or specific developments being built around Wake County. I would encourage you and your parents to work positively with the developer near you to embrace the changes while respecting the surrounding land uses."

So once again I am deflated, no one has the answer. But like I thought before, Wake County only cares about growth and there is nothing New Hill residents can do about it. Dear Suzanne Harris, Apex is not New Hill and New Hill is not Apex. I'm tired of cities telling us what is best for the land we live on without asking our input. The State government has no authority in this matter so asking help from them is like asking the Federal Government to fix a pot hole. I’m not proud of this, but I went to twitter ranting to N.C. state governor Roy Cooper’s and Wake County’s twitter account; my tweet fell on deaf ears. Does the NHBA really care about climate change? Does the North Carolina State Congress care about climate change? On the NHBA website they do have a section addressing climate change and why climate change matters to housing developers. NHBA believes:

Climate change regulations have the potential not only to exacerbate the challenges home builders already face but can also change where and how communities grow. NAHB’s climate change policy calls on the administration to refrain from using existing statues to regulate climate change emissions, because of the unintended consequences that are likely to result from trying to make it fit this new issue, including the imposition of onerous permitting requirement for many builders and developers.

This used to be a fresh water creek now its inhabitable

I’m not a tree hugger, but our environment in North Carolina is extremely important. In the article, North Carolina’s Fading Forestsposted by the Charlotte New’s Observer, N.C. State researcher Jennifer Costanza and Alan Weakly adjunct associate professor of biology at UNC Chapel Hill weighed in on North Carolina’s fading pine tree. The Pine Forest is one of North Carolina’s most important habitat and the pine tree is our State’s state tree. “When you look under North Carolina, the first seven exports that are listed – tar, pitch, turpentine, resin, boards, scantling and shingles – are all products derived from long leaf pine,” said Weakly. What is good for economy in this is case is bad for the environment. The Pine forest is home of more than 100 endangered plant and animal species and “only 4 percent of long leaf pine habitat remains.” Constanza went on to say “the growth of cities, along with sea-level rise, are two major threats to the North American Coastal Plain in the future.” Stop denying climate change, summers are hotter than they have ever been and the recent extreme weather events in California, Florida, Texas, and Puerto Rico have proven we have to do something now to stop Global Warming.

We shouldn’t have to tell the government why are ecosystems are important, but we do because the politicians on Capitol Hill and the politicians in our congress pass laws that put our ecosystems in danger. Trees and plants provide the air we breathe and provide us clean water. Natural resources irreplaceable. When I asked Suzanne Harris about the cut down of trees she replied, "Land gets developed or redeveloped, trees get cut down, but new trees get planted, transportation options get incorporated into the landscape as well." I highly doubt these uprooted trees are replaced.

The temperature in North Carolina is menopausal yet, we still have Climate Change Deniers! And those like the NHBA believe that climate change regulations negatively impact developmental growth. Maybe the regulations are bad for the housing market, but if we choose to grow smart and slow instead of fast (money hungry) then maybe we can conserve some of these rural areas.

They haven’t finished construction in my neighborhood yet, but they have made the lots, paved in a sidewalk, put up the 24-hour street lights, and they made the housing sections. I walk over there at night from time to time, thinking. I think about my childhood- how- my parent’s house will probably be the next house on the chopping block. I think how, I will never be able to come back here with my kids and relieve ole country time. I also think it will be scary seeing strangers and families next to my backyard. I can only imagine in the next couple years the retail giants and fast food restaurant will come on the scene changing everything. I must be in the Twilight Zone because I don’t even believe that this land used to be a thicket of woods. Believe it or not Raleigh and Cary used to be farmland in the early 1950s. I’m not believing it. But I should believe it. I have witness the development of South Point Mall, I have seen the development of Holly Springs after Holly Springs High School was built, I have witness the building of Apex Friendship High and Green Level High School. Car dealerships are now in places that used to be Winn-Dixie and old grocery stores. I have seen Apex grow more so in the past 10 years than it ever has. But, I’m in shocked that this place, the place I called home, the place that was New Hill North Carolina will now be like every other neighborhood in America. Eventually, New Hill will be annex by Apex and just like the farm that used to sit proudly in Apex was replaced by Toll Road 540, will be gone. I’m stuck and I’m tired. I guess I have to embrace the change that I hate so bad.