Welcome to the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute

We are a nonpartisan, applied research and community outreach institute at UNC Charlotte, seeking solutions to the social, economic and environmental challenges facing our communities.

Latest Articles & Publications

Transit & Transportation Planning

Officials: Charlotte can’t meet its bus system needs without more revenue

April 8, 2021

Leadership

Urban Institute director named Deputy Secretary for Natural Resources

Ely Portillo April 7, 2021

A family crossing South Boulevard in Charlotte

Safe Streets

Report: Charlotte’s streets are dangerous for pedestrians

Ely Portillo March 30, 2021

Housing

The density & affordability question

Jeff Michael March 29, 2021

Transit

Growing congestion, empty tracks: Why there's still no Red Line to North Meck

Mary Newsom March 29, 2021

Virtual Forum

Register now: Housing and economic mobility panel April 20

Staff March 28, 2021

Our Work

Programs

From mapping key community indicators to hosting walks that help local residents explore pressing social issues, our programs focus on building regional understanding and connections.

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Data

Coronavirus

Tracking confirmed coronavirus cases in our region

Clayton Hanson, David Hill December 14, 2020

Housing & Homelessness

New report release: Single adult homelessness integrated data

Courtney LaCaria Bridget Anderson December 10, 2020

Economic Mobility

Social Capital: A Tale of Caution and a Tale of Hope for Charlotte

Bridget Anderson, Kailas Venkitasubramanian , Lori Thomas September 10, 2020

Housing & Homelessness

Housing First Process Evaluation: Many housed, but lessons to learn

Joanne Carman Lori Thomas September 3, 2020

Coronavirus

Five key findings about the impact of COVID-19 on local renters and prioritizing rental assistance

Bridget Anderson, Katie Zager, Lori Thomas, Sydney Idzikowski September 3, 2020

South Boulevard in Charlotte has drawn a robust cluster of businesses to support the city's emerging Latino community, from restaurants to credit unions. Photo credit: Google Street View

Demographics

Charlotte region's Hispanic population grows at a rapid pace

Chuck McShane July 7, 2020

Issues

The Charlotte region is one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic areas in the nation, with rural counties, bedroom communities and suburbs, as well as the largest city in North Carolina and rapidly changing areas in upstate South Carolina. The UNC Charlotte Urban Institute focuses on issues of growth, change and equity in this complex region.

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Researcher Spotlight

Khalil Salim is a 4th-year doctoral student in the Community Psychology concentration of the Health Psychology Program at UNC Charlotte, which focuses on research and practice addressing health, health disparities, and healthy communities. He joined the Urban Institute in 2018 and currently serves as the Project Manager for the Coordinated Entry Research and Evaluation Study which is working to improve services for those experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
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Support Our Work

If you value the work of the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute as we analyze trends in the Charlotte region and the Carolinas, consider a tax-deductible gift to help sustain our operations. We appreciate your support.

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Office of Urban Research and Community Engagement

The Urban Institute is a part of the Office of Urban Research and Community Engagement (formerly known as Metropolitan Studies), which is a unit of Academic Affairs. Our mission is to provide community-based research services to local, regional, and state-level clients. Off-campus partners include local governments, non-profit organizations, and community groups.

Programs

Center for Transportation Policy Studies (CTPS)
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Annual Survey
Institute for Social Capital, Inc.
Transportation Information Management System (TIMS)
Quality of Life Explorer
The Carolinas Urban-Rural Connection

Articles & Publications

Articles Archives
Research Publications & Reports
Photo Essays and Galleries

Data

Regional Data
Interactive Maps

Issues

Arts & Recreation
Economy
Education
Environment & Planning
Government & Civic Engagement
Health & Well-being
Housing & Homelessness
Public Safety
Transportation

Our Region

Explore our region

About Us

Who We Are
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UNC Charlotte Urban Institute