Finding Affordability: Transit Corridor Geographies and Efforts to Preserve Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing

In the United States, the majority of affordable housing is unprotected by subsidies or set-asides, yet relatively little emphasis is placed on preserving the affordability of this “Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing” (NOAH). Additionally, the analyses which have been conducted to preserve NOAH along transit investments have been studied at the transit corridor geography. Charlotte, North Carolina, one the fastest growing cities in the United States, is currently in the midst of implementing a major transit plan throughout multiple corridors in the metropolitan region. These growth characteristics make Charlotte an especially useful case study in how NOAH preservation efforts are impacted by new transit investments. Utilizing statistical and spatial analytical methods, this study explores how NOAH preservation analyses differ when executed at both the transit corridor geography and the Block Group geography. Results from these analyses indicate that a more granular geography enables the identification of neighborhoods which are best-fit to preserve NOAH. Following a comparison of the outputs of these analyses, recommendations are outlined which suggest that transportation and housing professionals be more critical of the geography they utilize when developing transit corridor plans. Finally, the discussion concludes with an appeal to transit corridor planners by encouraging them to prioritize NOAH preservation strategies that enable low- and middle-income families to thrive in transit-oriented communities.Bachelor of Art