Included or left behind? Residents’ perceptions on public investments, city growth, and local decision-making

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper shares emerging themes from two series of focus groups in Charlotte, North Carolina, with 75 residents discussing a new light rail adjacent to their neighborhood. Community conversations about the light rail 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, the rail acted as a symbolic and physical infrastructure through which residents could channel their frustration of not feeling included in the city’s growth, development, and change. We analyze these results through the lens of public participation theory, which offers a framework for understanding public input into local decision-making processes. Findings can inform inclusive planning and community development.