{"id":219,"date":"2021-06-09T13:44:25","date_gmt":"2021-06-09T17:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/?page_id=219"},"modified":"2025-09-17T00:28:38","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T04:28:38","slug":"findings","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/findings\/","title":{"rendered":"Findings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><a href=\"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Final_900_360_IMG_4568-scaled.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"410\" data-src=\"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Final_900_360_IMG_4568-1024x410.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-420 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Final_900_360_IMG_4568-1024x410.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Final_900_360_IMG_4568-300x120.jpg 300w, http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Final_900_360_IMG_4568-768x307.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Final_900_360_IMG_4568-1536x614.jpg 1536w, http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Final_900_360_IMG_4568-2048x819.jpg 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/410;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Light Rail Transit Station Impacts (on Average)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p><strong>Residential Mobility; Neighborhood Change<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Does <strong>not disrupt the neighborhood income profile<\/strong> of loan applicants. <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#whos-moving-in\">Delmelle et al. (2020a)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nationally, <strong>racial composition is unlikely to be impacted<\/strong> by the introduction of an LRT station. <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#transit-investments\">Nilsson &amp; Delmelle (2018)<\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Increases the ratio of white to black loan applicants in some neighborhoods in Charlotte. <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#whos-moving-in\">Delmelle et al. (2020a)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Density increases<\/strong> in some affluent neighborhoods. <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#transit-investments\">Nilsson &amp; Delmelle (2018)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does<strong> not impact income diversity<\/strong>. <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#on-the-link\">Nilsson &amp; Delmelle (2020a)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does <strong>not impact income segregation<\/strong>. <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#on-the-link\">Nilsson &amp; Delmelle (2020a)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Generally, impoverished neighborhoods near LRT stations are <strong>more likely to gentrify<\/strong>. <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#transit-investments\">Nilsson &amp; Delmelle (2018)<\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Domino effect of middle to higher income residents and developers coming to light-rail adjacent neighborhoods and buying up homes at lower price points, renovating, and flipping them. Once it occurs to a few homes, it spreads quickly through the neighborhood.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Light rail is a selling point (advertised amenity) for new luxury apartment complexes even though most new residents own cars. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/10511482.2021.1949371\">Schuch &amp; Mushipe (2021)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Perceived to have a <strong>positive impact<\/strong> on neighborhoods. <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#should-i-stay\">Nilsson et al. (2020)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Middle to high-income earning homeowners more likely to <strong>move to neighborhoods of higher socioeconomic status<\/strong>. <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#impact-of-new\">Nilsson &amp; Delmelle (2020b)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>While neighborhood changes associated with light rail investment are typically viewed positively by planners, developers, and local media, responses are mixed among residents. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/10511482.2021.1949371\">Schuch &amp; Mushipe (2021)<\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Residents\u2019 perspectives are more focused on the individual or neighborhood scale compared to developers and transit\/planning officials who tended to have a more macro-level perspective, seeing benefits for the city as a whole.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not all residents felt like their voices were heard in the decision-making process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rezoning areas surrounding the stations from industrial to TOD means attracting higher density, mixed-use development. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/10511482.2021.1949371\">Schuch &amp; Mushipe (2021)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In Durham, where a planned light rail line was announced in 2012 and canceled in 2019, property values near planned stations showed little change from the announcement and no decline after cancellation. Instead, appreciation was tied more to demand for dense, urban neighborhoods than to the promise of rail service itself. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/00330124.2025.2460995\">Nilsson, Delmelle, &amp; James (2025)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Light rail considered as much or more about economic development as\/than transportation. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/10511482.2021.1949371\">Schuch &amp; Mushipe (2021)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Displacement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Does <strong>not disproportionately displace low-income residents<\/strong> on average. <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#new-rail-transit\">Delmelle &amp; Nilsson (2020)<\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>That said, there are widespread concerns among residents living along the Charlotte rail as rents and property taxes increase (affecting mostly lower and fixed-income residents). Displacement is happening anecdotally but it\u2019s still statistically difficult to quantify, perhaps because it happens at smaller scales (e.g. at the block level rather than the census tract level) and not uniformly across neighborhoods.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increasing housing prices across the metropolitan area make it difficult to pinpoint the exact influence of the light rail on displacement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Homeowners hassled by developers to sell their homes at sub-market rates, which can be tempting to those in need of cash. However, with rising housing prices, their options for buying elsewhere is limited.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Potential for indirect displacement as long-term residents feel like the new residential and commercial development is not built for them and they lose a sense of belonging. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/10511482.2021.1949371\">Schuch &amp; Mushipe (2021)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does <strong>not increase eviction rates<\/strong> on average. <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#new-rail-transit\">Delmelle et al. (2020b)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Surveyed residents are <strong>neither more nor less likely to move<\/strong> on average. <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#should-i-stay\">Nilsson et al. (2020)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Developers do not see current city incentives as desirable enough to build affordable housing and most of the land is bought up so the city cannot use it to build affordable housing. \u201cNIMBY\u201d sentiments also hinder affordable housing. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/10511482.2021.1949371\">Schuch &amp; Mushipe (2021)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized is-style-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Strip_IMG_4401_.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"461\" height=\"1024\" data-src=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Strip_IMG_4401_-461x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-475 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 461px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 461\/1024;width:339px;height:751px\" data-srcset=\"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Strip_IMG_4401_-461x1024.jpg 461w, http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Strip_IMG_4401_-135x300.jpg 135w, http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Strip_IMG_4401_-768x1707.jpg 768w, http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Strip_IMG_4401_-691x1536.jpg 691w, http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Strip_IMG_4401_-921x2048.jpg 921w, http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1277\/2021\/06\/Strip_IMG_4401_.jpg 1099w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 461px) 100vw, 461px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#new-rail-transit\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#new-rail-transit\">Delmelle &amp; Nilsson (2020)<\/a> found that, on average, throughout the United States, residents do not have statistically different chances of leaving a neighborhood with a new transit line than other neighborhoods without a transit line. These results were consistent across time, residential typology, and geography. Specifically, <strong>low-income residents do not leave new transit areas at a disproportionate rate<\/strong>, on average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#whos-moving-in\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#whos-moving-in\">Delmelle et al. (2020a)<\/a> examine the effect of the announcements of new LRT stations on income and racial compositions of neighborhoods through loan application data. Their work postulates new transit line announcements have <strong>no impact on the income profile<\/strong> of new applicants in LRT neighborhoods. White resident loan applications disproportionately increased with higher walkability neighborhood characteristics. <strong>White to black ratios increase<\/strong> modifying racial composition after the development of new LRT stations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#new-rail-transit\">Delmelle et al. (2020b)<\/a> found that <strong>eviction rates did not increase near new LRT stations<\/strong> in Newark, Sand Diego, Seattle, and St. Louis when compared to other gentrifying neighborhoods without LRT stations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#transit-investments\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#transit-investments\">Nilsson &amp; Delmelle (2018)<\/a> used neighborhood classes identified through the clustering process on the data. Overall, LRT stations <strong>seldom altered the fundamental neighborhood characteristic<\/strong>s. However, they found that low-income neighborhoods are more likely to experience gentrification. Affluent neighborhoods increase in density but experience little to no change in other characteristics. Socioeconomic ascent following gentrification has <strong>did not appear to significantly alter<\/strong> <strong>the racial composition<\/strong> in the neighborhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#on-the-link\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#on-the-link\">Nilsson &amp; Delmelle (2020a)<\/a> examined 11 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) between 200 and 2005 and found <strong>no statistical evidence that new LRT stations impact neighborhood-level income diversity<\/strong>. After examining 50 MSAs, the study did <strong>not find statistical evidence that new LRT stations affect income segregation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#impact-of-new\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#impact-of-new\">Nilsson &amp; Delmelle (2020b)<\/a> provide a comprehensive study of transit-induced migration over 43 years. Homeowners in new transit areas are more likely to <strong>move to more affluent<\/strong> neighborhoods. <strong>Low-income residents are equally likely to stay<\/strong> in the same neighborhood or move to another neighborhood of similar socioeconomic characteristics if the transit system <strong>covers a larger area<\/strong> of the neighborhood. If a small portion of the neighborhood is covered by the rail service, low-income residents may move to more impoverished areas after LRT station development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#should-i-stay\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/published-reports\/#should-i-stay\">Nilsson et al. (2020)<\/a> gathered survey data from residents in Charlotte neighborhoods concerning the LRT stations. Residents included many factors that impact their property values including the LRT presence. However, the data suggest that the presence of LRT stations <strong>does not increase inclinations to move out<\/strong> of transit areas. On average, residents see the LRT presence as having a <strong>positive impact<\/strong> on their neighborhood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From their Charlotte case study, <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/10511482.2021.1949371\">Schuch &amp; Mushipe (2021)<\/a> <strong>found that light rail investments and associated neighborhood changes are typically viewed positively by planners, developers, and local media but have received mixed responses from residents.<\/strong> These concerns revolve around increases in rent and property taxes and changes in neighborhood feel. Change is considered positive and part of life for some, but others fear losing history and belonging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Drawing on focus group and survey data with 514 residents in light rail adjacent neighborhoods, <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.tbs.2021.06.001\">Schuch &amp; Nilsson (2021)<\/a> concluded that residents shared mostly positive experiences and perceptions of the rail. Car access, gender, age, and proximity to downtown and a station influence rail use, though most respondents still rely heavily on their car. Barriers to accessing stations included a lack of sidewalks and bus connectivity. <strong>Some of the long-term African American residents felt the rail was not built for them but rather for newer and younger residents.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a forthcoming paper, Schuch &amp; Mushipe share how community conversations about the Charlotte light rail extension acted as an entry point for residents to bring up a range of issues they are dealing with such as housing cost, economic and educational opportunities, safety, government distrust, and feeling left-out in a growing and changing city. On one hand, this demonstrates how the light rail is connected to a range of other issues. On the other hand, <strong>the rail acted as a symbolic and physical infrastructure through which residents could channel their frustration of not feeling included in the city\u2019s growth, development, and change.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Light Rail Transit Station Impacts (on Average) Residential Mobility; Neighborhood Change Displacement Conclusions Delmelle &amp; Nilsson (2020) found that, on average, throughout the United States, residents do not have statistically different chances of leaving a neighborhood with a new transit line than other neighborhoods without a transit line. These results were consistent across time, residential [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3770,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-219","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3770"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=219"}],"version-history":[{"count":35,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/219\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":631,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/219\/revisions\/631"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/lightrailstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}