The Paradox of Progressivism: How Chapel Hill's Housing Policies Reinforce Exclusion

This thesis examines how progressive planning and housing policies in Chapel Hill, North Carolina reproduce patterns of exclusion despite explicit commitments to equity and inclusion. Focusing on the Greene Tract as a longitudinal case, the study argues that exclusion emerges not through overt policy decisions, but through the structure and sequencing of institutional processes. Using a mixed-methods approach, this research combines qualitative analysis of archival planning documents and public records with spatial analysis of demographic patterns from the American Community Survey. The study identifies four mechanisms: fragmented governance, procedural deferral, technical rationalization, and participation without power, which interact over time to shape decision-making. The findings show that exclusion is produced through cumulative institutional sequencing, demonstrating that governance design, rather than intent, ultimately determines access to opportunity.