City of Charlotte announces new alignment for housing, economic development

City Manager Marcus D. Jones is working to refine and focus efforts on two important City Council objectives — economic development and neighborhood development. To help further that work, Jones announced a new alignment focusing on the two areas, according to a press release from the city.

Neighborhood & Business Services will shift its focus toward two functional areas including;

• Economic Development
• Housing & Neighborhood Services

This shift will allow the city to increase its focus on the City Council’s Community Letter, the Focus Areas, and support a collaborative effort on economic development projects throughout the city as Charlotte strives to become the winning city of tomorrow, the release said.

“As chair of the Housing and Neighborhood Development Committee, I am pleased to see a structure allowing an increased focus on viable, diverse housing choices and strengthening our neighborhoods,” said Council Member LaWana Mayfield in the release. “In our Community Letter, we reaffirmed our commitment to affordable housing and vibrant communities across our city. This new alignment allows us to better leverage our resources toward this goal.”

“Economic development remains a high priority for the city as Charlotte continues to experience exponential growth, and we plan to ensure this prosperity can be realized by everyone in our city,” said Council Member James Mitchell in the release. “Our new focus on economic development will position the city to work more strategically toward growing Charlotte’s economy and job creation while also connecting people with tools needed for success. With this change, we will continue building a thriving 21st century city with economic opportunity for all.”