Building the Dream: Charlotte

Rising home prices, lending restrictions, stagnant wages, and a growing burden of debt have made homeownership financially unattainable for many prospective buyers. Cities across the country — including ones as vibrant as Charlotte, N.C. — continue to struggle with how to open the doors to homeownership to more of their residents while ensuring sound fiscal policies and practices. 

Home to a number of major financial institutions, a bustling culinary scene and a unique cultural feel, the Queen City appears poised for further economic growth and opportunity for its nearly 2.5 million residents. Despite a number of positive gains for the city, stagnant wage growth, lack of public transit options and the historical isolation of working-class neighborhoods are just a few of the hurdles to homeownership for so many city residents, particularly minority populations. 

In the second installment of our “Building the Dream” series, The Hill hit the road to convene state and local officials and regional housing experts for a morning of conversations to lay out a path forward to homeownership for more Charlotte residents. 

LOCATION

Date

• Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC)
• Brian Collier, Executive Vice President, Foundation for the Carolinas 
• Julie Eiselt, Mayor Pro Tem, Charlotte City Council
• Scott Farmer, Executive Director, North Carolina Housing Finance Agency
• Mayor Vi Lyles
• Alanna McCargo, Vice President, Housing Finance Policy, Urban Institute
• Sen. Paul Newton (R), North Carolina State Senate
• Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC)
• Pamela Wideman, Director, Housing & Neighborhood Services Department, City of Charlotte

SPONSOR PERSPECTIVE 

• Dean Mon, 2020 Chairman, National Association of Home Builders
• Kelly Zuccarelli, Senior Vice President, National Builder and Condo Program Manger, Wells Fargo & Company

MODERATORS 

• Steve Clemons, Editor-at-Large, The Hill
• Reid Wilson, National Correspondent, The Hill
• Lisa Worf, Morning Edition Co-Host, WFAE 

This is our second event in the series exploring home ownership around the country. Click here to watch Building the Dream: Minneapolis.