OVERVIEW
Sarah Delia
/
WFAE
Many of the neighborhoods surrounding the main thoroughfares into uptown Charlotte had historically been largely overlooked places where residents, many who are low income and belong to communities of color, watched the city’s boom from the sidelines. Now those communities are the centerpiece of Charlotte’s efforts to build a more equitable city.
Through the Corridors of Opportunity initiative, the city of Charlotte is investing in improving things like public safety, jobs and business opportunities, transportation, infrastructure and affordable housing in six areas: Graham Street/North Tryon Street, Sugar Creek Road/I-85, Albemarle Road/Central Avenue, Beatties Ford Road/Rozzelles Ferry Road, West Boulevard, and Freedom Drive/Wilkinson Boulevard.
MEETINGS & EVENTS
MORE ARTICLES ON THE CORRIDORS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mike Collins is joined by City Council member Malcolm Graham and community leaders for a conversation about Charlotte’s six “Corridors of Opportunity” and the attempt to revitalize these historically neglected areas without displacing the people who live there.
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Summers away from school are especially challenging times for families trying to build a life in a shelter or motel room. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has about 4,800 students who don’t have stable homes. A Charlotte group offers a few of these kids a safe place to go to play and learn during the summer months. -
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra performs regularly outside of uptown in parks and breweries, and now it has a new venue with wheels. The symphony is hitting the road with its mobile stage — bringing its music to many long-underserved neighborhoods that make up Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity. A recent performance took place in east Charlotte. -
The Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Charlotte revealed Friday plans to create a $20 million center that will focus on boosting economic mobility for residents in one of the city’s Corridors of Opportunity. -
Charlotte City Council will vote Monday on turning over that property to developers planning to build townhomes where the dilapidated motel one stood. -
Starting a business is tough without a loan or a cash infusion. But in Charlotte's Corridors of Opportunity, many people have done just that, building up businesses without help due to discriminatory lending practices, high interest rates or distrust of banks. Now, several grant programs and groups are trying to give businesses the capital and the means to grow. -
A busy stretch of road in northeast Charlotte that’s long been difficult to navigate on foot will soon be getting some upgrades. A federal grant accepted by Charlotte City Council on Monday will fund $12 million to fill sidewalk gaps and build a path along West Sugar Creek for pedestrians and bikers between I-85 and North Tryon. -
Some people buying homes in Charlotte’s North End will receive free electric bikes as part of their purchase. It’s a pilot program through the city that aims to distribute at least 200 e-bikes. -
Charlotte has expanded its Alternatives to Violence program, which works to reduce crime by using trained community members known as “violence interrupters.” There's a new team, and they're underway with their plans to reduce crime on West Boulevard. -
City leaders on Wednesday announced the recipients of the Business Opportunity Hub grants, meant to support nonprofit organizations within the city’s designated low-income six Corridors of Opportunity. The $4.45 million was allocated after City Council's approval on Monday. -
Hubs to connect small businesses and entrepreneurs with resources are set to open next year in all six of Charlotte’s designated Corridors of Opportunity. The city council voted Monday night to allot money to several nonprofits to operate what will be called Business Opportunity Hubs. -
Charlotte's homeownership rate has declined from 66% in 2009 to 60% in 2021, meaning a smaller share of people are benefiting from the generational wealth homeownership can provide. -
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Food Policy Council highlighted West Boulevard, Brookshire Boulevard between Interstate 85 and Interstate 485, and Albemarle Road as areas at high risk for food insecurity. These areas all lack full-service grocery stores and require long drives to stores that sell fresh produce — hurting residents' health and economic prospects.
MORE NEWS ABOUT MAYOR'S RACIAL EQUITY INITIATIVE
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The historically Black university is receiving $80 million in private money as part of the Mayor's Racial Equity Initiative. The goal is to vault the school to be one of the top ten HBCUs in the country and a recruiting ground for businesses. -
The Mayor's Racial Equity initiative has reached its private sector fundraising goal of $150 million. -
This month marks a year since the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative was announced. It’s a $250 million effort that Mayor Vi Lyles said would combine bold ideas, philanthropy and collaborative problem-solving to remove barriers to opportunity. So far, the initiative has raised nearly all of its goal. -
Kim Henderson, the woman chosen to help oversee the Mayor's Racial Equity Initiative in Charlotte, is stepping down. -
Kim Henderson was hired to lead a racial equity initiative in Charlotte. That was after a state audit found the Ohio Henderson led paid out $3.8 billion in fraudulent and inflated unemployment claims. The leader of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, which employs Henderson, says she knew about that before making a job offer.
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The goal of Charlotte's newly announced Racial Equity Initiative is to raise $250 million that will go toward making North Carolina's largest city more diverse and addressing racial inequities.
