CHARLOTTE: FACING THE CHALLENGES OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND MOBILITY

Transcription

1 CHARLOTTE: FACING THE CHALLENGES OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND MOBILITY Owen Furuseth, PhD, Associate Provost, Metropolitan Studies and Extended Academic Programs, UNC Charlotte Presentation to Integrated Network for Social Sustainability 2016 Conference Center City Campus University of North Carolina at Charlotte June 9, 2016

2 Charlotte is a great place to live and work

3 With good quality of life

4 Population is growing and growth is expected to continue 1,492,015 1,112,382 1,301,067 1,065,432 1,215, , , , ,424 Mecklenburg 404, , , , ,828 Charlotte Sources: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning DepartmentCharlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization; US Census

5 Source: 2014 American Community Survey 1-year estimates

6 Immigrant Overview for Mecklenburg County, 2012 (Foreign-Born equals Immigrant) Total Foreign-Born 13.6% (128,879) Region of Birth Latin America 51.5% Asia 27.3% Europe 10.9% Africa 8.4% North America (Canada) 1.4% Oceania 0.4% Entered U.S. Before % % 2010 or later 5.9% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 3-year estimates ( ).

7 But ranked last in upward mobility

8 About the Chetty study What are the chances for a child succeeding, independently of family status and the environment where she grows up? (inter-generational mobility) Sample: children born Child and parent pairs coded by 741 commuting zones Compared adult children s positions on the national income distribution with their parents

9 How do children from below median income families fare by adulthood? Salt Lake City Minneapolis Portland Kansas City Raleigh Atlanta Charlotte Income percentile Data source: Equality of Opportunity Project, 2014

10 Upward mobility is especially low across the south and parts of the rust belt Average income percentile of children whose parents were in the 25 th percentile Data source: Equality of Opportunity Project, 2014

11 opportunitycharmeck.org

12 A Community Task Force

13 Partners the community +

14 5 Opportunity Indicators Charlotte-Mecklenburg is challenged in all of the five major indicators for economic mobility

15 We Are Segregated by race and ethnicity Our community is racially and ethnically segregated. High levels of segregation are connected to low levels of community economic mobility.

16 We Are Segregated by income There are concentrated areas of poverty and segregation by income level in Charlotte- Mecklenburg, which are both indicators of low community economic mobility. Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey

17 We Are Segregated by family structure Single-Parent Households % - 19% 20% - 34% 35% - 59% 60% - 100% Even with hard work and the drive to succeed, single parent households face strong economic mobility challenges that can endure over generations. Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey

18 We Are Segregated by educational achievement Students who read on grade level by third grade are 96% more likely to graduate high school, a key economic mobility indicator. Currently, 38% of Mecklenburg s third graders are not reading on grade level. Data source: North Carolina Department of Instruction,

19 We Are Segregated by levels of social capital Voter turnout is an indicator of community connectedness and social capital. Lower social capital is associated with lower economic mobility. Data source: North Carolina Board of Elections

20 Common Threads National and local experts, studies and data point to common areas for focus. This is a problem we can solve together.

21 Lessons Learned (so far) Commit to the long haul Think systems, not programs No magic solution Human, social, financial resources Neighborhoods Matter Support single parents Critical factors Early childhood development Quality childcare 3 rd grade reading Family stability Positive role models Strong social connections

22 Access to jobs is critically important Top Areas Where Low-Wage Workers Work Live Work Live Source: US Census Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics

23 System/structural/policy barriers (so far) SCHOOLS Inadequate funding for and access to quality preschool and lack of community will to elevate priority Re segregation of CMS schools and impact on student outcome Inequity of resources between low and high poverty schools Career counseling in high schools inadequate to prepare students for in demand careers and jobs Limited/unequal access to information about preparing for college College retention support for low income students COMMUNITY Low minimum wage that has not kept pace with inflation Hiring/employment practices, including employment for those with criminal record, irregular schedules, lack of benefits, etc. Limited affordable housing options and the zoning policies and lack of community will to change them Location of employment vs. public transportation access Concentrated poverty through segregated residential patterns Financial literacy education limited for adults and youth Limited work based learning opportunities in the business community for students Bias, racism and classism

24 Timeline May Jun July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Discovery Phase Strategy Phase Discovery Report July 2016 & Dashboard Final Report & January 2017 Recommendations Milestone #1 Discovery Report What we have learned Milestone #2 Opportunity Dashboard What we want to change and measure Milestone #3 Final Report Actionable recommendations released to public Community Input opportunitycharmeck.org

25 HARD QUESTIONS How do we address the history of racism that has limited opportunity for generations? What does it mean to acknowledge the reality of privilege honestly and then talk about the difficult concept of sacrifice? Are we truly a community that values shared progress for all?

26 Questions/Comments? Presentation is available at: 26