Associations Between Historical Redlining and Present-Day Heat Vulnerability Housing and Land Cover Characteristics in Philadelphia, PA

Leah H. Schinasi; Chahita Kanungo; Zachary Christman; Sharrelle Barber; Loni Tabb; Irene Headen

doi:10.1007/s11524-021-00602-6

Associations Between Historical Redlining and Present-Day Heat Vulnerability Housing and Land Cover Characteristics in Philadelphia, PA

Leah H. Schinasi, Chahita Kanungo, Zachary Christman, Sharrelle Barber, Loni Tabb, Irene Headen

Geography & Environment

Rowan University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Historical, institutional racism within the housing market may have impacted present-day disparities in heat vulnerability. We quantified associations between historically redlined areas with present-day property and housing characteristics that may enhance heat vulnerability in Philadelphia, PA. We used color-coded Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) maps and tax assessment data to randomly select 100 present-day (2018–2019) residential properties in each HOLC grade area (A = Best; B, C, and D = Most hazardous; N = 400 total). We conducted virtual inventories of the properties using aerial and streetview imagery for land cover and housing characteristics (dark roof color, flat roof shape, low or no mature tree canopy, no recently planted street trees) that may enhance heat vulnerability. We used modified Poisson regression models to estimate associations of HOLC grades with the property characteristics, unadjusted and adjusted for historical and contemporary measures of the neighborhood sociodemographic environment. Compared to grade A areas, higher proportions of properties in grade B, C, and D areas had dark roofs, low/no mature tree canopy, and no street trees. Adjusting for historical sociodemographics attenuated associations, with only associations with low or no tree canopy remaining elevated. Adjusting for present-day concentrated racial and socioeconomic deprivation did not substantially impact overall findings. In Philadelphia, PA, HOLC maps serve as spatial representations of present-day housing and land cover heat vulnerability characteristics. Further analyses incorporating longitudinal data on urban redevelopment, reinvestment, and neighborhood change are needed to more fully represent complex relationships among historical racism, residential segregation, and heat vulnerability.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	134-145
Number of pages	12
Journal	Journal of Urban Health
Volume	99
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-021-00602-6
State	Published - Feb 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Health(social science)
Urban Studies
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Access to Document

10.1007/s11524-021-00602-6

Cite this

@article{427e6647221f49b487049f51db1e2a3e,

title = "Associations Between Historical Redlining and Present-Day Heat Vulnerability Housing and Land Cover Characteristics in Philadelphia, PA",

abstract = "Historical, institutional racism within the housing market may have impacted present-day disparities in heat vulnerability. We quantified associations between historically redlined areas with present-day property and housing characteristics that may enhance heat vulnerability in Philadelphia, PA. We used color-coded Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) maps and tax assessment data to randomly select 100 present-day (2018–2019) residential properties in each HOLC grade area (A = Best; B, C, and D = Most hazardous; N = 400 total). We conducted virtual inventories of the properties using aerial and streetview imagery for land cover and housing characteristics (dark roof color, flat roof shape, low or no mature tree canopy, no recently planted street trees) that may enhance heat vulnerability. We used modified Poisson regression models to estimate associations of HOLC grades with the property characteristics, unadjusted and adjusted for historical and contemporary measures of the neighborhood sociodemographic environment. Compared to grade A areas, higher proportions of properties in grade B, C, and D areas had dark roofs, low/no mature tree canopy, and no street trees. Adjusting for historical sociodemographics attenuated associations, with only associations with low or no tree canopy remaining elevated. Adjusting for present-day concentrated racial and socioeconomic deprivation did not substantially impact overall findings. In Philadelphia, PA, HOLC maps serve as spatial representations of present-day housing and land cover heat vulnerability characteristics. Further analyses incorporating longitudinal data on urban redevelopment, reinvestment, and neighborhood change are needed to more fully represent complex relationships among historical racism, residential segregation, and heat vulnerability.",

author = "Schinasi, {Leah H.} and Chahita Kanungo and Zachary Christman and Sharrelle Barber and Loni Tabb and Irene Headen",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022, The New York Academy of Medicine.",

year = "2022",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1007/s11524-021-00602-6",

language = "American English",

volume = "99",

pages = "134--145",

journal = "Journal of Urban Health",

issn = "1099-3460",

publisher = "Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Associations Between Historical Redlining and Present-Day Heat Vulnerability Housing and Land Cover Characteristics in Philadelphia, PA

AU - Schinasi, Leah H.

AU - Kanungo, Chahita

AU - Christman, Zachary

AU - Barber, Sharrelle

AU - Tabb, Loni

AU - Headen, Irene

PY - 2022/2

Y1 - 2022/2

N2 - Historical, institutional racism within the housing market may have impacted present-day disparities in heat vulnerability. We quantified associations between historically redlined areas with present-day property and housing characteristics that may enhance heat vulnerability in Philadelphia, PA. We used color-coded Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) maps and tax assessment data to randomly select 100 present-day (2018–2019) residential properties in each HOLC grade area (A = Best; B, C, and D = Most hazardous; N = 400 total). We conducted virtual inventories of the properties using aerial and streetview imagery for land cover and housing characteristics (dark roof color, flat roof shape, low or no mature tree canopy, no recently planted street trees) that may enhance heat vulnerability. We used modified Poisson regression models to estimate associations of HOLC grades with the property characteristics, unadjusted and adjusted for historical and contemporary measures of the neighborhood sociodemographic environment. Compared to grade A areas, higher proportions of properties in grade B, C, and D areas had dark roofs, low/no mature tree canopy, and no street trees. Adjusting for historical sociodemographics attenuated associations, with only associations with low or no tree canopy remaining elevated. Adjusting for present-day concentrated racial and socioeconomic deprivation did not substantially impact overall findings. In Philadelphia, PA, HOLC maps serve as spatial representations of present-day housing and land cover heat vulnerability characteristics. Further analyses incorporating longitudinal data on urban redevelopment, reinvestment, and neighborhood change are needed to more fully represent complex relationships among historical racism, residential segregation, and heat vulnerability.

AB - Historical, institutional racism within the housing market may have impacted present-day disparities in heat vulnerability. We quantified associations between historically redlined areas with present-day property and housing characteristics that may enhance heat vulnerability in Philadelphia, PA. We used color-coded Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC) maps and tax assessment data to randomly select 100 present-day (2018–2019) residential properties in each HOLC grade area (A = Best; B, C, and D = Most hazardous; N = 400 total). We conducted virtual inventories of the properties using aerial and streetview imagery for land cover and housing characteristics (dark roof color, flat roof shape, low or no mature tree canopy, no recently planted street trees) that may enhance heat vulnerability. We used modified Poisson regression models to estimate associations of HOLC grades with the property characteristics, unadjusted and adjusted for historical and contemporary measures of the neighborhood sociodemographic environment. Compared to grade A areas, higher proportions of properties in grade B, C, and D areas had dark roofs, low/no mature tree canopy, and no street trees. Adjusting for historical sociodemographics attenuated associations, with only associations with low or no tree canopy remaining elevated. Adjusting for present-day concentrated racial and socioeconomic deprivation did not substantially impact overall findings. In Philadelphia, PA, HOLC maps serve as spatial representations of present-day housing and land cover heat vulnerability characteristics. Further analyses incorporating longitudinal data on urban redevelopment, reinvestment, and neighborhood change are needed to more fully represent complex relationships among historical racism, residential segregation, and heat vulnerability.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85123475191&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85123475191&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s11524-021-00602-6

DO - 10.1007/s11524-021-00602-6

M3 - Article

C2 - 35076872

SN - 1099-3460

VL - 99

SP - 134

EP - 145

JO - Journal of Urban Health

JF - Journal of Urban Health

IS - 1

ER -

Associations Between Historical Redlining and Present-Day Heat Vulnerability Housing and Land Cover Characteristics in Philadelphia, PA

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this