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REPORT: People moving to Charlotte region faster than homes, apartments are being built

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A new report shows people are moving to the Charlotte region faster than homes are being built. Some people in historic black neighborhoods feel not enough attention is being brought to the impact genetrification is having on their communities.

The study found more people are moving to the Charlotte region faster than homes and apartments can be built.

[SPECIAL SECTION: Affordable housing crisis]

From 2010 to 2017, 88,494 housing units were added.

During this same time period, 299,845 people moved to Charlotte.

Officials said most of these people moved to Mecklenburg County, causing housing prices to rise, impacting low and middle income renters and homeowners.

Charlotte resident Bonnie Phillips said used to leave near 1st Ward Elementary School in uptown, but the neighborhood she grew up in is no longer there.

"I was born in 1953 so I lived there until I was 14," Phillips said. "Our neighborhood was torn down for urban renewal."

Phillips said the project pushed her family to the west side. She said when they bought a home in the neighborhood, it was worth $50,000. Now, it is up to $300,000.

The threat feels even greater for people in historic black neighborhoods like Grier Heights and Smallville.

Friday, a new arts and advocacy project launched to help bring more attention to housing issues in the African American communities.

Programs will include songs, poems, and art. Organizers said they realize it will take a community to change a community.

"Everybody recognizes that something has to be done and that resources statewide are inadequate to the demand," Representative Kelly Alexander said.

The new Art and Advocacy Project involves a series of events that will take place mostly in historic black neighborhoods. The first even will happen March 30 at Johnson C. Smith University.

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