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Committee weighs which census tracts Charlotte should nominate for Opportunity Zones 2
Summary
City economic development staff recommended 13 census tracts to nominate to the state for the Opportunity Zones 2 program; council members pressed for anti‑displacement safeguards and to add a District‑6 adjacency, and the committee agreed to submit a prioritized list with a 14th candidate.
City economic development staff walked the committee through the Opportunity Zones 2 (OZ2) process and a recommended list of census tracts to nominate for Mecklenburg County on June 1.
Todd DeLong summarized how OZ2 tightens eligibility and reporting versus the original program and stressed the state is asking counties to prioritize roughly 13 tracts. Staff proposed 13 Charlotte candidate tracts clustered around Northlake, I‑85/Sugar Creek, North End/Camp North End, West End, Nations Ford/I‑77 and East Charlotte; planners said the aim is to align nominations with corridors of opportunity, investment readiness and job‑creation potential.
Council members repeatedly raised anti‑displacement concerns and asked for data showing where past OZ investment triggered gentrification. Several members urged that nominations prioritize tracts with genuine community benefit and resident protection. Council member Dante Anderson moved (seconded by LaWanna Mayfield) to add one District‑6 adjacent tract to the nomination list and ask staff to submit a prioritized set of recommendations; the motion passed after debate and a friendly amendment arranging priorities. Staff said the state Department of Commerce nominations are due June 7 and that the U.S. Department of Treasury will make the final designation.
No formal designation was made at the meeting; staff will forward the nominations and prioritized list to the state and continue coordination with council regarding anti‑displacement strategies.
