Why This is Important
Certificates of occupancy are issued for completed renovations or new construction. Newly completed commercial COs indicate recent investment in real estate (an economic benefit to a neighborhood) and additional new commercial space, which is both an opportunity for local business growth and potential for improved access to core needs and employment. Areas with significant investment and significant low income and renting populations may be vulnerable to displacement.
About the Data
COs included here are the following types: business, mercantile, factory industrial, and mixed use commercial. The count of these per neighborhood or blockgroup is divided by the area in square miles within the City/County Inspections districts.
Note: In June, 2021, DataWorks NC made a slight change in methodology for computing this metric which may lead to minor differences in the metric value when comparing with data generated by the Compass prior to June 2021.
Durham City/County Inspections Department
Additional Resources
| Resource | Learn More and Take Action |
|---|---|
| Durham Office of Economic and Workforce Development | Assisting cultural development, increasing Durham's tax base, preparing our workforce, promoting long-term growth, and providing technical and financial business assistance. |
| Durham City/County Inspections | The City-County Inspections Department administers and enforces the North Carolina State Building Code and the zoning ordinances for both the City and County of Durham. |
| Durham Development Tracker | An interactive GIS site for searching annexations, zoning changes, and development activity throughout Durham County. |
Select a base geography (depending on the dataset, different geographies may be available).
Data Distribution, 2020
Commercial Certificates of Occupancy per Sq Mile
