Charlotte’s Growth Raises Transit and Housing Questions

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.

1 minute read

February 21, 2014, 11:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


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.

Friday, February 14, 2014 in Fast Co.Exist

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