In the News

Here’s how the Charlotte Urban Institute and Regional Data Trust shows up in local and national news.

Have a media request? Email Asha Ellison, director of research translation and engagement, at Asha.Ellison@charlotte.edu.

2026

• March 6 – “Housing developers turn to townhomes, ADUs to boost density,” Laura Williams-Tracy (Charlotte Business Journal) 
• March 5 – “Pricing into adulthood: Students navigate Charlotte’s housing crunch,” Allison Chipps (WFAE)
• Feb. 25 – “The latest data on homelessness in Mecklenburg County and a look at how it’s collected,” Sarah Delia (WFAE)
• Feb. 11 – “Rise in youth gun violence seen in this North Carolina city,” Justin Moore (Fox 8)
• Jan. 16 – “Going for Growth: New developments, transit investment and shifting land-use priorities position Cornelius, Huntersville and Davidson as emerging mixed-use hubs,” Collin Huguley (Charlotte Business Journal)
• Jan. 8 – “Trump’s proposed ban on investors buying single-family homes may impact Charlotte market,” David Schuman (Queen City News)

2025

• Dec. 16 – “New Report Shows Promise for Violence Interruption on Beatties Ford,” Pat Moran (Queen City Nerve)
• Dec. 12 – “UNC Charlotte’s Violence Prevention Center turns research into real-world solutions,” Pam Davis (Inside UNC Charlotte)
• Dec. 11 – “Changes in policies and funding are transforming the landscape in Charlotte,” Jim Morrill, Charlotte Journalism Collaborative (WFAE 90.7)
• Dec. 10 – “Silver screen’s silver lining: N.C. film growth creating new opportunities for creatives,” Claudia Puente (Spectrum News)
• Oct. 23 – “The heart of Charlotte’s philanthropy beats on — but under new pressures,” Briah Lumpkins, Catherine Muccigrosso (Charlotte Observer)
• Oct. 14 – “Office and industrial starts rebound in 3Q,” – Tony Mecia (The Charlotte Ledger)
• Oct. 7 – “Corporate landlords grow Charlotte market share by 65% amid housing crisis,” [VIDEO] Walker Lawson (WCNC)
• Oct. 6 – “Amid Charlotte’s affordable housing crisis, corporate landlords grow single-family home market share,” Walker Lawson (WCNC)
• Oct. 1 – “Study reveals corporate landlords’ growing footprint in Charlotte,” Nick de la Canal (WFAE 90.7)
• Sept. 26 – “Mecklenburg sees 65% growth rate in homes owned by corporate landlords, study finds,” Desiree Mathurin (The Charlotte Observer)
• Sept. 26 – “Rise of corporate homeownership impacts low-income communities, UNC Charlotte study shows,” Bonnie Zhang (WCNC)
• Sept. 12 – “Charlotte area’s population growth remakes small towns,” Laura Williams-Tracy (Charlotte Business Journal)
• Sept. 12 – “Charlotte demographics shift in population boom,” Laura Williams-Tracy (Charlotte Business Journal)
• Sept. 3 – “‘It’s not fair’: Residents push back on longstanding narrative around Beatties Ford Road,” Elvis Menayese (WFAE 90.7)
• Aug. 29 – “‘It’s safe’: Residents, advocates, business owners push back on Beatties Ford narrative,” Elvis Menayese (WFAE 90.7)
• June 5 – “Analyzing News and Information Landscapes from the Ground Up,” Sarah Stonbely (Columbia Journalism Review)
• May 15 – “Life inside the Charlotte region’s most densely populated neighborhoods,” Desiree Mathurin, John Marks, and Gavin Off (The Charlotte Observer)
• May 4 – “How Charlotte’s Booming Latino Population Is Changing The City’s Food Scene,” Taylor Bowler (Charlotte Magazine)
  

2024

• Dec. 2 – “Feeling slighted, residents north of uptown wonder why they won’t have a Red Line stop,” Gavin Off, Mary Ramsey (The Herald)
• Oct. 9 – “A boost for minority business in Charlotte,” Eleana Teran (Capital Analytics Associates)
• Aug. 15 – “Feeding the future of West Boulevard,” Asha Ellison (Inside UNC Charlotte)
• July 16 – “Biden plan to cap yearly rent increase, potentially limiting ‘corporate landlords’,” Mary Calkins (WBTV)
• July 15 – “Charlotte Traffic: 5 Secrets of the Anti-Grid,” Greg Lacour (Charlotte Magazine)
• June 17 – “What’s the story behind this 800-year-old tree in Brunswick County?,” Jamey Cross (Wilmington StarNews)
• May 14 – “Many pointing the finger at corporate landlords over lack of affordable housing options,” Jesse Pierre (WCNC)
• March 28 – “Former housing official expresses concern about corporate landlords,” Jennifer Roberts (Spectrum Local News)
• March 20 – “Lake Norman area homes aren’t affordable for most. How do officials plan to change that?,” Evan Moore (The Charlotte Observer)
• Feb. 24 – “Data Driven,” Michael J. Solender (UNC Charlotte Magazine)

2023

• Nov. 16 – “Charlotte’s ‘violence interrupters’ expands into West Boulevard corridor,” Elvis Menayese (WFAE 90.7)
• Nov. 15 – “More people are staying put around Charlotte, tightening the housing market,” Nick de la Canal (WFAE 90.7)
• Nov. 8 – “Charlotte’s racial wealth gap is wide. Approaches to narrow it are varied,” Lisa Warf (WFAE 90.7)
• Nov. 1 – “Corporate landlords expand home affordability inequity,” Herbert L. White (The Charlotte Post)
• Sept. 26 – “Charlotte nonprofit awarded $2 million for affordable housing,” Destiniee Jaram (QCity Metro)
• Sept. 11 – “Charlotte City Council votes to spend $5 million on design work for blocked Red Line,” Steve Harrison (WFAE 90.7)
• July 5 – “Atrium Health, Goodwill among Charlotte groups trying to solve ‘benefits cliff’ issue,” Erik Spanberg (Charlotte Business Journal)
• June 30 – “‘They’re not coming’: Grocery stores abound, but Charlotte food deserts still prevalent,” Catherine Muccigrosso, Gavin Off (The Charlotte Observer)
• June 27 – “UNC Charlotte Urban Institute shares ‘Alternatives to Violence Evaluation: Year One’ report,” Erica Lunsford (WBTV)
• June 26- “Charlotte City Council expected to expand youth-advocate programs,” Faith Alford (WBTV)
• June 22 – “Program offers alternative in wake of Beatties Ford mass shooting,” Robin Kanady (Queen City News)
• June 15 – “Home demolitions in these fast-changing Charlotte neighborhoods impact how growth evolves,” Gordon Rago, Gavin Off (The Charlotte Observer)
• June 11 – “Huntersville faces growing challenges with development proposals like Lagoona Bay, Birkdale Village,” (Charlotte Business Journal)
• June 1 – “7 days, 1,000 shootings: From heartache to healing to hope,” Nate Morabito (WCNC)
• May 25 – “Mecklenburg County home ownership dip among largest in US. Here’s what we know.” Gavin Off, Adam Bell, Tyler Dukes (The Charlotte Observer)
• May 18 – “Alternative To Violence program gets positive review in new study,” Richard DeVayne (WCNC)
• May 17 – “Charlotte’s ‘violence interrupters’ show promise, study finds,” Lisa Worf (WFAE 90.7)
• May 9 – “Charlotte is becoming friendlier for pedestrians but nationally ranks low in walkability,” Sam Carnes, Queens University News Service (The Charlotte Observer)
• May 3 – “UNC Charlotte study sheds light on Charlotte’s struggle with corporate landlords,” Julia Kauffman (WCNC)
• March 25 – “Charlotte needs more housing. Could looser zoning restrictions help?” Nick de la Canal (WFAE 90.7)
• March 8 – “Charlotte is one of the only NC cities with partisan elections. City Council isn’t eager to change,” Steve Harrison (WFAE 90.7)
• March 1 – “Institute offers 5 steps for affordable housing in Matthews,” Justin Vick (Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly)
• Feb. 1 – “Property values are on the rise in Mecklenburg County,” Colin Mayfield (WCNC)
• Jan. 25 – “Renters confront NC Rental Homes Council in hopes of lowering Charlotte rent,” Jason Stoogenke (WSOC-TV)
• Jan. 19 – “Black homeownership is Hidden Valley’s legacy. Now corporate landlords threaten that.” Dj Simmons (The Charlotte Observer)
• Jan. 17 – “Charlotte ranks among cities with bad traffic,” Lowell Rose (WBTV)