Introduction

Charlotte’s inner-city neighborhoods have been the focus of considerable investment and research over the past several years. With the publication of the City Within A City (CWAC) Neighborhood Assessment in 1993, community residents, policy makers and neighborhood leaders were able to take a closer look at the issues these neighborhoods would need to address in order to remain or become viable neighborhoods.

In 1997, the Neighborhood Assessment was followed by the CWAC Neighborhood Quality of Life Index. The Index evaluated the quality of life in each CWAC neighborhood through the analysis of multiple variables. These variables were aggregated into the social, economic, and environmental dimensions that combine to create qualify of life. In turn, these data provided a baseline of information that permit a reexamination of neighborhood level quality of life in the future. Indeed, the index study was intended to serve as a benchmark, the first stage in an ongoing program to monitor progress toward goals of sustaining and renewing the neighborhoods of City With A City. 

In July 1998, the Charlotte Neighborhood Development Key Business and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission contracted with the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute to expand and update the earlier initiative. The current study design 

·        expands the scope of the earlier neighborhood-scale analysis; 

·        evaluates every neighborhood statistical area (NSA) in the city and in the Charlotte sphere of influence to access the quality of life in these NSAs; 

·        constructs an index measurement using 20 variables that provides an up-to-date assessment of neighborhood social, physical, and economic conditions; 

·        provides a city-wide baseline for measuring cumulative and individual changes in NSAs in the future; and 

·        converts individual variable values and cumulative scores into the categories used in earlier studies—“stable,” “threatened,” and “fragile.” 

Defining Quality of Life 

Quality of Life can mean many things to different people. Some would argue that in order for a community to enjoy a good quality of life, residents should feel safe from crime, live in affordable and high quality housing, and should have access to education and employment. Indeed, these are basic expectations for a community. They transcend economic status, age, race, household composition, or any other demographic characteristic. 

There are, however, other more subjective ideas of what makes a neighborhood an enjoyable place to live. These ideas often revolve around the character of a neighborhood. Is it clean?  What do the houses look like? 

It includes economic vitality. Are there shops in the neighborhood?   Is transportation available for those without automobiles?  And finally, the physical and civic health of the residents is important. Are there opportunities for civic involvement?  How well are children doing in school? 

Increasingly cities and counties across the U.S. are developing locally based measures to assess quality of life. Publications such as the Providence Neighborhood Fact Book, The Quality of Life in Pasadena, Jacksonville Quality-of-Life Report, Sustainable Indicators in Seattle, and Oregon Benchmarks are commonly cited prototypes. Together, these studies have assessed over 200 indicators of quality of life. They have looked at quality of life at the neighborhood, city, county and metropolitan level. Some have collected unique measures of quality of life, reflective of local environmental, social and economic conditions. Most communities have, however, relied on data from the U.S. Census. 

The idea of “quality of life” is a multi-faceted concept that seeks to include a wide variety of issues under one umbrella. This report defines neighborhood quality of life as a nexus where social well being, physical characteristics, crime, and economic vitality area all considered. In all, 20 variables make up this quality of life composite (Table 1). A detailed description of each variable is contained in Appendix A. The selection of the individual variables was made following extensive discussion and consultations with the sponsoring organizations and staff from the cooperating city and county partners. A community that has reached this point¾ a blending of social, economic and environmental achievement¾ will have the optimal quality of life. 

Table 1. Charlotte Neighborhood Quality of Life Variables

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