Nonprofit Consultant, Artist Erik Valera to Join Race for 2025 Chapel ...

Erik Valera is a nonprofit consultant and artist. He works at his own consulting firm, where he provides strategic guidance to nonprofit organizations. He previously held leadership roles at El Centro Hispano, CommunityWorx, Youth Forward, and the Diamante Arts & Cultural Center. Earlier in his career, he worked in public health as a research project manager at UNC's School of Medicine and as a program director for the Latino Commission on AIDS.

Erik Valera (Chapel Hill Town Council, North Carolina, candidate ...

Erik's campaign for Chapel Hill Town Council Member is his second run for office. In 2023, he finished sixth in a race between 10 candidates for four town council seats. He previously served on the Chapel Hill Planning Commission.

Supports expanding the commercial base to enhance revenue.

- Supports expanding the commercial base to enhance revenue.

Economy

Supports elevating arts and culture, especially from under-represented communities.

Wants to improve public engagement by creating more accessible meetings and opportunities for residents to collaborate on neighborhood decisions.

Supports scheduling meetings at more convenient hours and providing additional incentives like monetary compensation, childcare, and refreshments to encourage community participation.

- Supports elevating arts and culture, especially from under-represented communities.
- Wants to improve public engagement by creating more accessible meetings and opportunities for residents to collaborate on neighborhood decisions.
- Supports scheduling meetings at more convenient hours and providing additional incentives like monetary compensation, childcare, and refreshments to encourage community participation.

Public Services

Believes in removing barriers to new construction, expanding affordable homeownership and rentals, and collaborating with private, public, and nonprofit sectors to address the affordable housing crisis.

- Believes in removing barriers to new construction, expanding affordable homeownership and rentals, and collaborating with private, public, and nonprofit sectors to address the affordable housing crisis.

Housing & Urban Development

Supports strengthening ties with the University of North Carolina to retain students after graduation by addressing housing, affordability, and infrastructure needs.

Supports policies that promote environmental sustainability and reduce the town's carbon footprint.

- Supports strengthening ties with the University of North Carolina to retain students after graduation by addressing housing, affordability, and infrastructure needs.
- Supports policies that promote environmental sustainability and reduce the town's carbon footprint.

Public Safety

Supports upgrading public transit and plans to make it more convenient than driving.

- Supports upgrading public transit and plans to make it more convenient than driving.

Transportation & Infrastructure

As of September 3, 2025, Erik Valera’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Education

LinkedIn

Instagram

Erik Valera

Erik is a nonprofit consultant and artist. He works at his own consulting firm, where he provides strategic guidance to nonprofit organizations. He previously held leadership roles at El Centro Hispano, CommunityWorx, Youth Forward, and the Diamante Arts & Cultural Center. Earlier in his career, he worked in public health as a research project manager at UNC's School of Medicine and as a program director for the Latino Commission on AIDS.

Interview: Chapel Hill Town Council candidate, Erik Valera ...

Erik is a nonprofit consultant and principal at his own firm. He previously held leadership roles at El Centro Hispano, CommunityWorx, Youth Forward, and the Diamante Arts & Cultural Center. Earlier in his career, he worked in public health as a research project manager at UNC's School of Medicine and as a program director for the Latino Commission on AIDS.

Erik previously ran for the Chapel Hill Town Council in 2023 but did not win. He is currently a member of the Chapel Hill Planning Commission.

Supports elevating arts and culture from under-represented communities.

Believes the town has been operating with a streamlined budget and has limited room for further reductions without compromising essential services.

Said, "Our members need to be open about having tough conversations about gentrification. The town council needs to implement, not just imagine, a more equitable Chapel Hill."

Supports making walking, biking, and public transit convenient by expanding greenways and collaborating with transit partners.

Chapel Hill Town Council: Erik Valera

Supports expanding the commercial base to increase revenue.

Supports removing barriers to new construction, expanding affordable homeownership and rentals, and collaborating with private, public, and nonprofit sectors to address the affordable housing crisis.

Supports creating "third spaces" to foster belonging and advocates for convenient walking, biking, and public transit.

Supports upgrading public transit and championing projects like Transit Oriented Design and expanding greenways.

Supports better feedback loops, more accessible meetings, and clear ways for people to be involved in local government.

- Town council members serve as the governing body of the town, along with the mayor. 
- The town council members make policy decisions for the town, including creating ordinances, policies, and making agreements with other governments. 
- The town council can amend and revise town policies, as well as approve or reject the town budget. 
- The town council is also in charge of the appointment of advisory boards, commissions, task forces, committees, the town manager, and the town attorney. 
- Members of the town council are elected to staggered 4 year terms. 