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eligible for the full housing rehabilitation programs. It has also been more difficult to get people qualified for housing loans due to unstable income histories, liens and other credit and /or legal issues. The lack of qualified applicants from different geographic areas in the county may influence the equitable distribution of service. Social Services, Fire, EMS, and other services are provided as equitably as possible throughout the county. Currently, Cabarrus County is working on expanding services in the southern part of the county by adding a library branch and a new county park. There are also efforts to expand services to the aging population in the southern part of the county. 4. Neighborhood Revitalization, Municipal or other services, Employment - Housing- Transportation Linkage The City of Concord and the City of Kannapolis have been pursuing grants and other opportunities for revitalization projects in or very near the census tracts with the highest populations of minorities which are Census Tracts 407, 419, and 421. The City of Concord and the City of Kannapolis have worked with Cabarrus County to establish a more comprehensive public transportation system. The CK Rider, the Charlotte DOT commuter buses, and the County's van system all work together to provide transportation to major centers of employment as well as service centers. Cabarrus County Transportation has been pursuing grants to expand the van service to new employment centers and minority neighborhoods for the past few years, however, the number of grant opportunities for this type of service have been reduced. New traffic patterns due to the increase of suburban neighborhoods create a reliance on transportation. Commercial establishments have begun to move to the suburban areas where the new development is located. These patterns have affected the low to moderate - income families adversely. These patterns have placed distance between the low- income concentrations and easy access to jobs, newer housing, and commercial opportunities. Ultimately, these changing patterns also influence housing costs and access. The City of Concord and the City of Kannapolis have embarked on renewal programs for older neighborhoods in both residential and commercial improvements. These programs are designed to increase jobs locally as well as improve the housing stock. Cabarrus County, the City of Concord, and the City of Kannapolis have been offering business incentives to companies creating or placing jobs in Cabarrus County. The creation of the Research Campus in downtown Kannapolis has provided, and will provide, many opportunities for employment in the future as the campus grows. The Research Campus has created over 1,000 jobs as well as helped to support other surrounding business opportunities in the community. The campus has provided new economic opportunities to residents thereby increasing housing opportunities as well. Public transportation ridership has increased dramatically over the past few years. The recession and increasing gas costs have increased ridership of all modes. A commuter bus system was put in place in the late 1990's to provide travel to Mecklenburg County for employment. A local system called the CK Rider was created a number of years ago to 201Page Analysis of Impediments September 2015 Attachment number 2 \n F -6 Page 112