Charlotte Housing Authority Unveils New Name and Logo

Residents voices were heard in selection of agency’s new name

CHARLOTTE, NC – The Charlotte Housing Authority unveiled its new name at the today, the new name INLIVIAN, reflects the organization’s rich past and bright future. In addition to the new name, the organization also unveiled its new logo, website and social media pages for the first time.

The Charlotte Housing Authority was established in 1939 to improve housing conditions and provide decent housing for low-income families after the Great Depression. Today, the agency provides housing and support to over 10,000 households in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

As federal funding continues to decline – and more people move to Charlotte driving home values and rents even higher – the organization has evolved from a traditional housing authority to an entrepreneurial agency focused on solutions to help address Charlotte’s housing challenges.

“This is an extremely exciting time for our organization,” said Fulton Meachem, CEO of INLIVIAN. “We were founded to serve after the Great Depression. In the 80 years since, we have evolved and now provide housing solutions to help address Charlotte’s diverse housing challenges and improve the quality of the life of the residents we serve. Our new name, INLIVIAN, better reflects the agency we are today.”

Ultimately is was the residents who determined the new name. Residents, as well as other community members, were very active in the naming process and ultimately it was their selection that was approved by the Board of Commissioners.

“It was important to me that if there was going to be a name change, residents had to have say in the process,” said Resident Board Commissioner Lucy Brown. “It was only right that we had a say in how we were being represented. And I can proudly say we had a seat at the table.”

“After listening to valuable feedback about our name, coupled with the changing funding landscape for housing authorities, it was confirmed that it was time to update our brand and change the way we represent ourselves,” Meachem added.

INLIVIAN, is a newly-created, unique word is inspired by the word “enliven,” meaning “to restore or give life to.” INLIVIAN’s vision is to empower families and individuals to live more stable lives by delivering diverse price point housing for those priced out of the market, including teachers, nurses, custodians, veterans, seniors and the disabled. It should be noted that INLIVIAN will continue to serve Charlotte’s most vulnerable residents who make 30% or less of the area median income or $25,750 per year for a family of four. INLIVIAN’s mission is strengthened by its commitment to family, community, opportunity, and leadership.

INLIVIAN’s rebranding effort has taken more than a year and included extensive research, in-depth interviews and focus groups with residents, community leaders, elected officials and employees about the name and overall brand. The feedback collected confirmed that the words “housing” and “authority” have a great deal of stigma and negative connotations associated with them. This association ignites undeserved negative stereotypes about our residents and communities.

About The Logo

The new logo is called the agency’s “Housing Star”. The home shape is repeated and overlapped to form an abstract star. The star represents guidance and leadership, abundance and hospitality. The connected houses represent the diverse, connected communities created by INLIVIAN. Ultimately the star is made up of elements that change to form patterns, much in the same way lNLIVIAN will continue to change to meet housing needs.