UNC Charlotte Urban Institute

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UNC Charlotte Urban Institute

We seek solutions to the social, economic and environmental challenges facing our region.

05/30/2026

Charlotte is moving onward and upward.

Recent census data displays positive growth for our metropolitan area, with the Queen City becoming an increasingly popular destination for domestic and international migrants alike. In fact, the Charlotte metropolitan area was named one of the top five metro areas in terms of growth between July 2024 and July 2025.

What else does this new census data tell us about Charlotte’s growing and changing population, and how can we use it to make more intentional planning and policy decisions?

Read more about what census data tells us about Charlotte's shifting landscape here: bit.ly/4f2UNoj

05/22/2026

The Charlotte City Council could resurrect Charlotte’s long-defunct red light camera
program amid rising traffic fatalities.

Red light cameras can greatly reduce the number of serious crashes at certain intersections, but state laws in North Carolina have complicated their implementation.

Read more about the possibility of reviving the red light camera program here: bit.ly/4nwGNW8

05/13/2026

✈️ New partnerships are taking off!

Charlotte Douglas International Airport - CLT and UNC Charlotte’s Aviation and Innovation Research Institute are steering the future of airport runways through a joint research program between the university and the airport. In the only project of its kind in the nation, the teams will study aviation infrastructure from the inside of the runway itself.

Read more about this partnership here: bit.ly/3ReXRnm

05/02/2026

Gun violence in Fayetteville is often spotlighted by headlines -- but the data tells a more complex story.

In 2024, the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute partnered with the City of Fayetteville, NC Government to take a closer look at gun violence by combining crime data, community voices and completing a cost analysis. The findings show some progress, with firearm incidents declining overall since 2022, though young adults ages 18 to 24 are more likely to be involved with gun violence.

The findings also highlight persistent challenges, including concentrated impacts in certain neighborhoods and a staggering $466 million cost in 2024 that was driven largely by quantifying the intangible costs associated with loss of life and the long-term effects on victims, families and communities.

The report underscores that young adults are both at the center of risk and key to prevention. It also reveals a critical gap between perception and reality -- one that can shape investment, opportunity and ,ultimately, outcomes.

Reducing gun violence requires more than enforcement. It calls for early intervention, stronger data systems, community partnerships and a shift in how we understand and talk about violence.

A more informed, community-centered approach can help Fayetteville build on progress while addressing the conditions that drive it.

Read more here: bit.ly/4t1XtpB

04/28/2026

We love to see aviation and innovation research in motion. Prepare for takeoff!

04/18/2026

As reported by Q City Metro, the average growth rate for metropolitan areas fell from 1.1% in 2024 to 0.6% in 2025. The Charlotte region was a rare exception. (U.S. Census Bureau)

Metro Charlotte, which includes Concord and Gastonia, now has an estimated 2.8 million people. The region joined Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta and Phoenix as national leaders in adding new residents between July 2024 and July 2025.

"Katie Zager, a research associate at the Charlotte Urban Institute, told QCity Metro that Charlotte attracts a younger population due to its lower cost of living and a relatively strong job market — factors that have been in play for the past decade, she said."

🔗Read more about Charlotte's growth here: bit.ly/4dqJyFz

04/14/2026

Last December, UNC Charlotte faculty member Kyle Spence completed the first phase of his Gambrell Faculty Fellowship "EcoDome" project. The wooden exoskeleton of the spherical planter was built at Deep Roots CPS Farm, an urban farm located in northwest Charlotte, with help from some incredible fourth-year Design-Build students and the UNC Charlotte School of Architecture.

This spring, an EcoDome prototype has bloomed (pun intended) into a custom-fabricated ceramic planter box featuring raised Adinkra iconography. It's filled with soil and a live-growing plant and will be on display at Charlotte Shout on Saturday, April 18. Festival-goers will get an exclusive preview of the EcoDome project ahead of the official community ribbon-cutting on May 4 at Deep Roots CPS Farm, where 20+ student-built planters will be installed.

Check out Spence's awesome project this weekend at First Ward Park from 12 to 1:30 p.m.! It will be located at the UNC Charlotte tent, right behind the Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City.

04/11/2026

‼️Last chance to register for an interactive workshop led by Wenwen Dou, Ph.D.

Join us at the Dubois Center on Thursday morning to practice creating story-driven visuals with free tools.

🗓️April 16, 2026 | 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. | The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City

🔗Register for the workshop: https://bit.ly/3ZE0lwD

04/04/2026

For many college students with disabilities, the path from school to work is far less straightforward.

📖A recent study by UNC Charlotte professors and Gambrell Faculty Fellows Othelia EunKyoung Lee, Ph.D., and Stella Y. Kim, Ph.D., takes a closer look at what helps or gets in the way of career readiness for college students with disabilities.

🔗Read more about the study here: bit.ly/3P1iPFb

03/28/2026

Learn to make engaging visual depictions of your data.

Join us for an interactive workshop with Wenwen Dou, Ph.D., to practice creating story-driven visuals with free tools.

🗓️April 16, 2026 | 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. | The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City

🔗Register for the workshop: https://bit.ly/3ZE0lwD

Address

9201 University City Boulevard
Charlotte, NC
28223

Telephone

+17046871210

Website

https://ui.charlotte.edu/

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