By Jordan Meadows
Staff Writer
Southeast Raleigh community and religious leader Rev. Isaiah Green filed a class-action lawsuit against Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell, alleging violations of the 14th and 15th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, around September 23, 2025.
Green claims the City of Raleigh has denied equal protection and voting rights to residents through ongoing construction projects that have damaged property and excluded community input.
The Mayor requested, and was granted, a 30-day extension to respond to the summons—an extension Green opposed. The Mayor then filed a motion to dismiss the case. On Friday, Green filed a motion opposing the move to dismiss, a procedural step he described as “expected but futile.” Green insists he will press forward, hoping the case reaches the highest federal court possible.
For him and the Southeast Raleigh residents standing beside him, the struggle continues to hold accountable those they believe have ignored the fight for far too long.
At the heart of the dispute are years of homeowner complaints in Southeast Raleigh neighborhoods such as Holiday Estates and Old Towne, where residents allege city-backed construction has destroyed property and endangered their homes. The controversy centers on a road project connecting Holiday Drive to Bowmont Grove Street—work that began with dynamite blasting and excavation three years ago.
Many say they received no notice or opportunity to comment, despite apparent risks to structures, wells, and septic systems. Letters obtained by The Carolinian show contractors cited pre-blast inspections, but residents like Rev. Green insist that the companies involved lacked proper permits and transparency about who authorized the work.
Homeowners have reported extensive damage. Residents Mack Evans and Gail Durham have filed formal complaints to city, state, and federal officials—alleging civil rights violations and even voter suppression tied to city planning decisions. Thus far, residents say their appeals have gone unanswered.
For Rev. Green, this lawsuit represents a last resort after years of frustration and what he calls “systemic neglect” by city and state leadership. He has previously appealed to the Attorney General’s office, the U.S. Department of Justice, and advocacy groups, including the NAACP, but said no progress has been made. Green has also linked this case to a broader pattern of political disregard for Black communities in North Carolina, citing his decade-long history of activism on civil rights and justice reform.
Cowell’s argument for dismissal is that the complaint fails to state any claim upon which relief can be granted against her under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a federal law that allows individuals to sue a person for violating their constitutional or federal rights.
In a written response to the Court, Green stated:
“The Federal Law is clear in this matter, and the violations of federal law perpetrated against the complainants in this case who are a protected class of citizens are sure that the permitted dynamiting have for sure impacted their lives and love [sic] ones who reside near the Olde Towne Regency new construction building site.”
Green expects a response from the Court within the next 10 days.
