I Can't Afford to Live Here

Charlotte and its surrounding area represent a rapidly-growing region whose citizens face increasing difficulty finding affordable places to live close to work, schools and community centers. These stories are part of ‘I Can’t Afford to Live Here,’ a collaborative reporting project focused on solutions to the affordable housing crisis.

From Brooklyn to Ballantyne: The story behind Charlotte’s affordable housing crisis

Charlotte’s history of affordable housing includes broken promises and empty gestures. Now that the city’s chronic shortage has become a crisis, leaders are responding with unprecedented resources. Will this time be different?

June 17, 2019

Affordable Housing

Nearly 500 stories about Charlotte’s housing crisis were published and shared by the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative partners from 2019-2024, many of them focused on SOLUTIONS.

These are just some of those stories that were part of ‘I Can’t Afford to Live Here,’ a collaborative reporting project focused on solutions to the affordable housing crisis in Charlotte.

I Can’t Afford to Live Here | An in-depth look at Charlotte’s affordable housing crisis

By WCNC Staff

Published September 14, 2019

Charlotte’s affordable housing crisis didn’t happen overnight. In fact, Charlotte has a history of broken promises and missed opportunities that led us here. Read more in this feature from WCNC that helped launch the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative’s project.

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Finding Home: YIMBYs Say Yes to Urban Density And Affordable Housing

WFAE | By David Boraks

Published September 16, 2019

As an episode for WFAE’s “Finding Home;’ the story investigates a community in Atlanta, where residents are proponents of affordable housing.

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Seattle program makes homes affordable in a pricey market. Is it a model for Charlotte?

The Charlotte Observer | By Lauren Lindstrom

Published December 10, 2019

Seattle and Charlotte have both experienced a boom in millennial populations. This story reports on the city’s use of land banks to propagate new developments.

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West Charlotte is rapidly gentrifying. How this nonprofit wants to make homes affordable.

The Charlotte Observer | By Lauren Lindstrom

Published December 10, 2019

The community land trust model has existed in the U.S. for 50 years but in 2019, it was new to Charlotte.

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Family is saved from being thrown out on the street thanks to community support

La Noticia | By Diego Barahona

Published February 17, 2020

Community members step up to help when a family facing eviction in a Charlotte area community can’t find an affordable alternative.

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The Charlotte Journalism Collaborative is a partnership of local news organizations and community institutions in Charlotte, NC, working together to produce rigorous and collaborative solutions journalism.

The CJC strengthens the local news ecosystem and increases opportunities for engagement. It is supported by a combination of local and national grants and sponsorships.

Funding for the CJC is administered by Queens University, a 501(c)(3) organization and home of the James L. Knight School of Communication.

Visit the old CJC website for content prior to 2024. Link

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