CHARLOTTE — City leaders believe there is a crime perception problem in Uptown, even though data from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for this year shows it is slightly down. There’s a new plan to address it. The new proposal will have people living and working in parts of Uptown paying more in exchange for more security.
Charlotte Center City Partners CEO Michael Smith believes Uptown is safer than many are giving it credit.
“We think there is a gap between reality and perception,” Center City Partners CEO Michael Smith said.
Last month, CMPD told the Charlotte City Council that overall crime year to date is down 11 percent. Last year, CMPD said violent crime and property crime were down in Uptown, and arrests were up.
The Center City Partners CEO says he believes there is a crime perception problem in Uptown but “we are moving in the right direction.” @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/gNkeA0zRTh
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) April 7, 2025
“We had these singular events that often draw a lot of concern, and we think things are moving in the right direction,” Smith told the Charlotte City Council Monday.
To build on this, Smith is proposing a tax hike for the property owners in parts of Uptown, including Tryon Street and most of the Second and Third Wards.
The increase would be a small fraction of a cent per $100. A property valued at $1 million would pay an extra $82 a year.
The money would go toward an initiative called Own Your Block and would be used to help hire more security guards while keeping Uptown clean.
Center City Partners says the tax hike has the support of the Uptown business and condo communities. The Charlotte City Council will hold a public hearing and vote on whether to authorize it at a later date.
Councilman Ed Driggs says he is in favor of the city doing what it can to make people feel comfortable in Uptown
“The message that has come to me is that people are uneasy, and there is a little bit of a sense that lawlessness has taken hold,” Driggs said.
The average condo would pay an extra $39 a year, according to Smith. No single-family homes in Uptown would be impacted
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