Can the city, county work together to solve transportation challenges?

“We cannot do this individually. If we try to attack these problems in our own lanes only, we will only succeed at failing.” “Everything we embark on needs an intergovernmental framework and strategy to move forward.” “We truly are breaking down silos that exist in government.” That’s City Council members Tariq Bokhari, Braxton Winston and Matt Newton speaking Tuesday at a joint meeting with Mecklenburg County commission members to talk about a shared strategy on transportation. The consensus was clear: We need more cooperation and joint planning to craft solutions to the region’s growing congestion. 

Preservation awards celebrate the pieces of Charlotte we keep

Greater funding could improve access to our public lands

“The public wants access to the land it already owns,” observed Jay Leutze, conservationist and author of Stand Up That Mountain. That sentiment was the driving force behind support for the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), recently signed into law after receiving wide bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress.

The coronavirus is starting to reshape transit in Charlotte

The viral outbreak and ensuing lockdowns caused transit ridership numbers to plummet nationwide as millions of people stayed home or avoided trains and buses if they had to go somewhere. The Centers for Disease Control even recommended people drive solo as they return to work, shunning densely packed transit lines in favor of their own automobile bubble. Charlotte was no different: The Charlotte Area Transit System’s (CATS) ridership fell almost 65% in May (compared to the year before) at the height of the lockdown.

Mapping Charlotte’s lost buildings: Demolitions on the rise again

Charlotte’s aging buildings are being torn down at an alarming rate, the product of a fast-growing population and strong real estate market.

NC’s current 2020 Census response is concerning

More than four in every ten North Carolina households have not yet filled out the 2020 Census, representing more than 4 million North Carolinians not currently captured in the Census. Our current response rate is below the national rate and below where our state was in 2010. North Carolina communities that have not responded at high rates are predominantly rural, Black, and Brown, with low internet access. It is vital to our state that all North Carolinians be counted: the 2020 Census ensures our state receives its fair share of more than $1.5 trillion in federal dollars from census-derived programs ($44 billion to NC in FY2017) and that these and state funds are distributed fairly across the state.

Opinion: Why saving NOAH won’t solve our housing crisis

It’s no secret that Charlotte, like the rest of the US, has a housing affordability crisis. This is the result of two main factors: We don’t have enough housing units and the housing that we have is too expensive for many of our families.

Three new approaches to historic preservation in Charlotte

A shiny new skyline, a “New South” city, 150,000 new residents since in the last decade — however people describe Charlotte, the word “new” always seems to be one of the first on their tongues. That’s to be expected in a fast-growing city like Charlotte. But it’s also part of the reason Charlotte has a reputation for being a city with little regard for its history, always distracted by the quest for the next big thing (NBA! NFL! Light rail! New banks! NASCAR Hall of Fame! Whitewater Center!), and all too ready to make room for the new by tearing down the old.

Here’s what other Sunbelt cities can show Charlotte about transit funding

With plans for the 26-mile Silver Line light rail, possible Blue Line extensions, the Gold Line streetcar and more moving forward, there’s a looming question in Charlotte: How will we pay for all of this?

Coronavirus uncertainty impacts local farm economies

No doubt, 2020 will be known as a year of change; good, bad, and lasting. The global coronavirus pandemic has forced shifts and pivots in almost all industries and facets of life. The food system is no exception. As the resiliency of the local food system is challenged, some farmers and food producers will find it tough to stay afloat in 2020. For others, 2020 is a year of growth, adaptation, and a record-breaking good year, much like 2008 when the Great Recession triggered a return to “local” that drove up demand.