A pair of recent articles examine the political and financing situation around transit (e.g., streetcar and light rail) and housing (i.e., a rental development boom) in Charlotte, which has paced the nation in growth over the past decade.
Jessica Leber writes for FastCo.Exist about the city’s status as a “poster child for sprawl” and the long commute and travel distances that residents suffer as a result. According to Leber, Charlotte’s new mayor, Patrick Cannon, supports increasing the local sales tax to fund the Charlotte 2030 transit plan.
Eric Frazier writes for the Charlotte Observer of growing concerns from market analysts that Charlotte has overbuilt rental housing. “Much of the new apartment growth is coming in and near uptown Charlotte, in areas such as the South End, SouthPark, NoDa and Elizabeth neighborhoods,” reports Frazier. Moreover, “the city’s apartment development pipeline as ‘very active,’ with more than 8,100 units under construction and nearly 12,000 more proposed.” Supply is expected to exceed demand within a year, although experts also see long term strength in the market.
FULL STORY: Can A Sprawling Southern City Remake Its Transit Networks?
HOAs Fight Back Against Institutional Investors
A growing number of homeowners associations around the country are using old legal tools to keep institutional investors from buying up, and renting out, the neighborhood.
Is Charlotte Overselling Plan to Expand Transit?
Even if voters approve a new one-cent transit sales tax, will Charlotte be able to deliver on its promise of two new commuter rail lines and a new bus rapid transit line?
Philadelphia on Track to Build Record Number of Apartments in 2022
A researcher from the Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation at Drexel University tells a tale of two housing markets—rental and for-sale—in the City of Brotherly Love.
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Private Donations Propel Early Restoration of Palisades Playground
Los Angeles has secured over $1.3 million in private funding to restore the Pacific Palisades playground months ahead of schedule, creating a modern, accessible space that supports community healing after recent wildfires.
From Blight to Benefit: Early Results From California’s Equitable Cleanup Program
The Equitable Community Revitalization Grant (ECRG) program is reshaping brownfield redevelopment by prioritizing projects in low-income and environmental justice communities, emphasizing equity, transparency, and community benefits.
Planting Relief: Tackling Las Vegas Heat One Tree at a Time
Nevada Plants, a Las Vegas-based nonprofit, is combating the city’s extreme urban heat by giving away trees to residents in underserved neighborhoods, promoting shade, sustainability, and community health.
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