Bio

Leah Bergman is President of Southern Repair Service Incorporated and Lee Ray Bergman, LLC, commonly known as “Bergman Rentals” (https://br-apartments.com). The company owns and manages over 1,300 housing units in Durham, Raleigh and Western NC with a concentration on workforce and affordable housing.

Founded by Leah’s grandfather Mitchell Bergman in the late 1940s and grown significantly by her father, Lee Ray Bergman, the company passed to Leah upon his death in 2008. Leah has expanded the business into new development, constructing the 180-unit workforce community Park Crossing Apartments in Rutherfordton (https://www.parkcrossing-nc.com). The company is currently developing McKissick Square in Durham (66 units, all affordable, delivering mid-2027) and Duncan Terrace in Hendersonville (132 workforce units). All developments are delivered while working with local municipalities to achieve their stated goals.

Leah is active in Durham’s affordable housing initiative “Unlocking Doors,” partnering with nonprofits and participating in the Housing Choice Voucher, HUD-VASH, and Rapid Re-Housing programs. She also serves on the boards of the Alliance of Disability Advocates and the Foundation for Good Business. Leah is keen to get involved in Orange County and is strongly interested in being an Orange County Commissioner.

A graduate of NYU’s Stern School of Business (Finance and Accounting), Leah holds the CFA and C3P designations. She previously worked at JP Morgan Asset Management and Morgan Creek Capital Management.

Leah and her husband, Ted Roach, live in Orange County with their three children, TJ, Rosie, and Mitchell. She is an avid horse competitor.

Question 1

Being an Orange County Commissioner is a significant commitment of time. In addition to attending Board Meetings, there are Work Sessions and retreats. Preparation for meetings typically includes reading packets that can be several hundred pages long. Each Commissioner serves on 5-7 Boards and Commissions, most of which meet monthly. Commissioners also attend numerous community events.

Do you have the available bandwidth required to meet the demands of the position? What approaches will you use to balance the commitment required to ensure you are effective in the role?

Yes, I have both the bandwidth and the genuine desire to meet the demands of serving as an Orange County Commissioner.

My professional background has prepared me well. I own and operate several extended-use tax credit affordable rental communities, work that requires careful interpretation of complex land use restrictions and ongoing coordination with the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. Reading dense packets and processing legal documents are already part of my daily work.

I also bring direct experience with the processes this role involves. I have attended countless planning commission, city, and county meetings, and I understand how rezonings move forward. I have worked with communities across North Carolina, including Durham, Hendersonville, and Rutherfordton, to deliver housing that reflects each municipality’s goals, and I have seen firsthand how elected officials, staff, and stakeholders collaborate.

On a personal level, I am highly energetic and disciplined, waking at 5:15 each morning to make the most of my day. To balance this commitment, I will manage my time deliberately: preparing thoroughly for meetings in advance, prioritizing my board assignments, and staying organized so I can be present and effective at both official meetings and community events.

I am confident I can serve Orange County effectively.

Question 2

Orange County depends heavily on residential property taxes, while nearby counties such as Durham, Wake, and Alamance have developed larger commercial, industrial, retail, or employment-based tax bases.

What specific strategies would you support to diversify Orange County’s revenue base without undermining our environmental, educational, and community values so that homeowners are not repeatedly asked to carry the primary burden?

The ultimate goal is to lower the aggregate cost of living in Orange County during these inflationary times. By broadening the revenue base, we can, over time, reduce the rate burden of residential property taxes.

The 2027 designated Opportunity Zones present a unique opening to attract commercial, industrial, and retail development in targeted areas. Importantly, to use this structure well, the land must be held and developed by private companies or individuals.

The tracts are not yet finalized, so I would review the final designations before proposing specific projects, ensuring each fits its surrounding community.

Initial ideas include advanced manufacturing facilities and industrial parks attracting local trades like electricians, HVAC companies, plumbers, and welders. Another is a sports complex geared toward travel teams. The World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida, an Opportunity Zone, offers a strong model, combining housing, retail, and restaurants with sports and trade shows. This increases weekend traffic but puts little stress on roads, infrastructure, and schools while generating considerable revenue.

Opportunity Zones are very also suitable for multifamily housing. My family and I are building 132 units in a Hendersonville Opportunity Zone, committing at zoning to affordability at 80% AMI

Question 3

Orange County supports two separate public school systems despite limited tax revenue outside of residential property taxes.

Would you support a study which gives consideration to a hybrid service model regarding the sharing of central office functions, transportation, purchasing, technology services, or specialized staff to reduce costs while maintaining or improving educational quality for all students? Please explain why or why not.

Yes. I strongly support studying opportunities to make County operations more efficient. When services such as administration, transportation, purchasing, and technology can be shared or improved without reducing educational quality, the County should evaluate those options carefully so taxpayer dollars go further.

Question 4

Orange County faces a growing affordability challenge. Rising housing costs make it difficult for teachers, first responders, county employees, young families, and recent graduates to live in the communities they serve. This also contributes to declining school enrollment and places additional pressure on homeowners to fund county services through property taxes. Governor Josh Stein’s Executive Order No. 36 calls for increasing housing opportunities and affordability across North Carolina.

What specific actions would you take as a county commissioner to increase the supply of affordable and workforce housing while preserving Orange County’s environmental resources and quality of life? Where do you see access to water and sewer capacity fitting into your vision for the county?

I have direct experience developing housing targeted at 80% Area Median Income, the exact type this question references, taking projects from raw land through municipal planning and construction.

These developments succeeded because municipalities did more than talk about affordability; they attracted developers and worked through zoning to make it happen. And yes, residents showed up asking about the trees. The reality is that achieving this goal requires cutting some trees and increasing density if we want young families, first responders, and teachers to afford living here. I am not describing a handful of units through a nonprofit or land trust; I mean developments producing hundreds of units.

If Orange County is serious about supply, I would support expedited zoning for workforce rental and ownership projects, density deviations, and, candidly, a modification to the rural buffer, which has created a genuine pinch in housing supply.

Consider the math: starting salaries for our teachers, EMTs, and county employees sit around $48,000. At one third of income, that supports only about $1,333 per month in rent or mortgage. Delivering housing at that price point requires the County to incentivize developers through favorable and efficient zoning.

I have tried to get a meeting with Steve Brantley to discuss current capacity and goals but have not yet been successful. I will continue to try prior to the meeting on the 20th.