Articles About Social Well-being

Is it possible to build an oasis in the desert? Not the desert that brings to mind scorched earth and stretches of hot sand miles away from water and civilization. No. The question speaks to deserts that exist in urban centers across our country. Neighborhoods in the very heart of our otherwise thriving cities where […]

For both serious and casual observers of Charlotte’s economic and cultural history, a new book released in July provides a fascinating look at the effects of globalization on the city’s recent development. Published by the University of Georgia Press and edited by UNC Charlotte geography professors Bill Graves and Heather Smith, the book Charlotte, NC: […]

Efforts to construct subsidized apartment complexes in two South Charlotte neighborhoods were recently abandoned after Ballantyne and Ayresley residents raised concerns that the proposed projects would have a detrimental impact on surrounding property values by overburdening public infrastructure and increasing crime. The failure of these real estate ventures has been described by some as the […]

Twenty years ago, the downtowns in our region were believed to be destined for oblivion. Retail was leaving, if not already gone, locating along a major thoroughfare somewhere on the suburban fringe in the vicinity of the latest big box retail store, often Wal-Mart. Professional offices, if any existed at all, were shutting their doors […]

At United Way, we talk about “creating lasting change for those most in need.” Fulfilling that mission requires not just measurement of community needs, but a source of data that is sufficiently comprehensive to ensure that changes are far-reaching and can be tracked over time. Yet for many years, no such resource existed. Certainly there […]

The Transportation Service Indicator Report is released annually by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and compiled at the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute in cooperation with the Institute for Transportation Research and Education at North Carolina State University. This report summarizes operational data for every North Carolina public school district. Based on data […]

Photos by Nancy Pierce

This report was undertaken for the purpose of assessing the community service needs of Mecklenburg County’s Latino residents; and from this perspective, offers recommendations to public and private service providers. Report in English: Download PDF En Espanol: Download PDF