Chris Babin
Susan Browning
2017SP Eng 114-31
5/11/17
Charlotte’s Housing Issues
Charlotte North Carolina is a rapidly growing metropolis with some really big problems. One of the primary issues is that of affordable housing. While there seems to be a constant growth in the building of homes and apartments in the area, many of these are priced out of reach for the average person.
The average market price for an apartment in the Charlotte region has increased by nearly 35 percent. And there does not seem to be any real relief in the coming future. During the last census Charlotte was listed as having just over 800,000 residents. Of these almost 74,000 spend more than one third of their net income on rent. And this does not even include the homeless …show more content…
Department of Housing & Urban Development defines fair market rent for a basic two-bedroom apartment with utilities in the Charlotte metro area at $864 a month. A single parent would have to work 92 hours a week at a minimum wage job to afford the rent. The current minimum wage rate is $7.25 per hour and most people who are making minimum wage are barely able to get more than 20 or 25 hours per week. So again this issue puts affordable housing out of reach for many residents in Charlotte.
Another issue facing Charlotte’s affordable housing problem is where to build more units. The city council has a policy not to put new affordable housing projects with-in a half mile of existing projects. But for Charlotte the only areas left where they can build such units are in the more affluent areas of Ballantyne, Matthews, Mint Hill, and Huntersville. And aside from the “not in my backyard’ attitude most of these areas do not have the infrastructure of public transportation, or increased public safety or public …show more content…
Brightwalk is a re-imagination of an older low income housing area called Double Oaks’. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership along with several other companies and groups have torn down and cleared the old boarded up buildings and begun building a new community in which the current neighbors are taking pride in. Brightwalk is in an area of growth and where many of the residents actually work. There is easy access to public transportation. It is a combination of single family homes, townhomes, and a future apartment complex. As well as an improvement to the area it is providing an opportunity for lower income families to find affordable housing.
While Brightwalk is just one of many projects planned Charlotte still has a very long way to go. Meeting the needed 34,000 units over the next few years will be a tough task. As Charlotte grows so does the need for more affordable housing and Charlotte is rapidly running out of areas and resources. The housing issue faced in Charlotte will be an ongoing struggle but can be reined in if we continue to focus on the needs of the many.
Works Cited
Andrew Dunn | February 21, 2017 Views:. "What does affordable housing mean in Charlotte?" Charlotte Agenda. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 May 2017.
LeggettCorrespondent, Page. "Brightwalk neighborhood attracts a variety of life." Charlotteobserver. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 May
Susan Browning
2017SP Eng 114-31
5/11/17
Charlotte’s Housing Issues
Charlotte North Carolina is a rapidly growing metropolis with some really big problems. One of the primary issues is that of affordable housing. While there seems to be a constant growth in the building of homes and apartments in the area, many of these are priced out of reach for the average person.
The average market price for an apartment in the Charlotte region has increased by nearly 35 percent. And there does not seem to be any real relief in the coming future. During the last census Charlotte was listed as having just over 800,000 residents. Of these almost 74,000 spend more than one third of their net income on rent. And this does not even include the homeless …show more content…
Department of Housing & Urban Development defines fair market rent for a basic two-bedroom apartment with utilities in the Charlotte metro area at $864 a month. A single parent would have to work 92 hours a week at a minimum wage job to afford the rent. The current minimum wage rate is $7.25 per hour and most people who are making minimum wage are barely able to get more than 20 or 25 hours per week. So again this issue puts affordable housing out of reach for many residents in Charlotte.
Another issue facing Charlotte’s affordable housing problem is where to build more units. The city council has a policy not to put new affordable housing projects with-in a half mile of existing projects. But for Charlotte the only areas left where they can build such units are in the more affluent areas of Ballantyne, Matthews, Mint Hill, and Huntersville. And aside from the “not in my backyard’ attitude most of these areas do not have the infrastructure of public transportation, or increased public safety or public …show more content…
Brightwalk is a re-imagination of an older low income housing area called Double Oaks’. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership along with several other companies and groups have torn down and cleared the old boarded up buildings and begun building a new community in which the current neighbors are taking pride in. Brightwalk is in an area of growth and where many of the residents actually work. There is easy access to public transportation. It is a combination of single family homes, townhomes, and a future apartment complex. As well as an improvement to the area it is providing an opportunity for lower income families to find affordable housing.
While Brightwalk is just one of many projects planned Charlotte still has a very long way to go. Meeting the needed 34,000 units over the next few years will be a tough task. As Charlotte grows so does the need for more affordable housing and Charlotte is rapidly running out of areas and resources. The housing issue faced in Charlotte will be an ongoing struggle but can be reined in if we continue to focus on the needs of the many.
Works Cited
Andrew Dunn | February 21, 2017 Views:. "What does affordable housing mean in Charlotte?" Charlotte Agenda. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 May 2017.
LeggettCorrespondent, Page. "Brightwalk neighborhood attracts a variety of life." Charlotteobserver. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 May