Applying Opportunity Mapping to Social Justice Goals and Policy Jason Reece, AICP Kirwan Institute Opportunity Mapping Workshop November 30 th 2007

Similar Models Used Elsewhere  The concept of using neighborhood based data to assess neighborhood opportunities and challenges is not unprecedented and is used in various sectors (examples) Business: Site selection analysis by firms such as Claritas Business: Site selection analysis by firms such as Claritas Community Development: Criteria used to identify areas for targeted investment or areas targeted for specific community development initiatives Community Development: Criteria used to identify areas for targeted investment or areas targeted for specific community development initiatives Housing: Models that try to connect affordable housing to areas of job growth “work force housing initiatives” Housing: Models that try to connect affordable housing to areas of job growth “work force housing initiatives”  The use of neighborhood based indicators for measuring sustainability is well established in the Austin region Opportunity mapping adds an additional analytical lens to this significant body of existing work in the region Opportunity mapping adds an additional analytical lens to this significant body of existing work in the region

What has opportunity mapping been used for in other regions?  The Kirwan Institute has conducted opportunity mapping in approximately a dozen metropolitan regions, some prominent examples of this work informing action can be found in three regions Chicago Chicago Baltimore Baltimore Cleveland Cleveland Austin Austin Ohio (Education) Ohio (Education) African American Males African American Males

Chicago  Chicago: The Kirwan Institute worked with the Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities and the Institute of Race and Poverty to conduct an opportunity mapping analysis in the Chicago region The opportunity maps produced as part of the Chicago research were utilized by the Leadership Council for advising inner-city voucher holders looking to relocate to higher opportunity neighborhoods in Chicago The opportunity maps produced as part of the Chicago research were utilized by the Leadership Council for advising inner-city voucher holders looking to relocate to higher opportunity neighborhoods in Chicago In addition, the research was utilized to inform inclusionary housing advocacy in the Chicago region, focusing on inclusionary zoning advocacy and to assess the impacts of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program on expanding access to opportunity in the Chicago region In addition, the research was utilized to inform inclusionary housing advocacy in the Chicago region, focusing on inclusionary zoning advocacy and to assess the impacts of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program on expanding access to opportunity in the Chicago region

Chicago’s Communities of Opportunity  This example is a 6 county Communities of Opportunity map for the Chicago region Red = Lowest Opportunity Red = Lowest Opportunity Blue = Highest Opportunity Blue = Highest Opportunity Source: Report published by the Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities 2005

Baltimore (Litigation)  Baltimore: Opportunity mapping in the Baltimore region was conducted as part of the Thompson v. HUD fair housing litigation Plaintiffs used opportunity mapping to frame their remedial proposal, in response to a liability ruling that found the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in violation of the Fair Housing Act Plaintiffs used opportunity mapping to frame their remedial proposal, in response to a liability ruling that found the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in violation of the Fair Housing Act The plaintiffs have proposed establishing 7,000 affordable housing units in the region’s high- opportunity communities, available to volunteers who wish to relocate out of the City of Baltimore’s public housing The plaintiffs have proposed establishing 7,000 affordable housing units in the region’s high- opportunity communities, available to volunteers who wish to relocate out of the City of Baltimore’s public housing

Proposed remedy identifies Communities of Opportunity  Used 14 indicators of neighborhood opportunity to designate high and low opportunity neighborhoods in the region Neighborhood Quality/Health Neighborhood Quality/Health Poverty, Crime, Vacancy, Property Values, Population TrendsPoverty, Crime, Vacancy, Property Values, Population Trends Economic Opportunity Economic Opportunity Proximity to Jobs and Job Changes, Public TransitProximity to Jobs and Job Changes, Public Transit Educational Opportunity Educational Opportunity School Poverty, School Test Scores, Teacher QualificationsSchool Poverty, School Test Scores, Teacher Qualifications

 African American’s are generally clustered in the Baltimore region’s lowest opportunity neighborhoods Opportunity and Race

 Subsidized housing opportunities in Baltimore are generally clustered in the region’s lowest opportunity neighborhoods Conditions in Baltimore

Follow Up Work with Maryland ACLU  Outside of the trial we have worked on follow up activities with the ACLU Looking at foreclosure and rental housing in high opportunity areas (identifying potential locations to secure affordable housing) Looking at foreclosure and rental housing in high opportunity areas (identifying potential locations to secure affordable housing) Looking at the movement of partial consent decree movers Looking at the movement of partial consent decree movers

Cleveland  Cleveland: Opportunity mapping and GIS analysis were used in the Cleveland region to assess economic opportunities in the region, in relation to Minority Business concentrations Most MBE's in the region were clustered in neighborhoods with declining economic opportunity, producing potential impediments to business networking and access to markets Most MBE's in the region were clustered in neighborhoods with declining economic opportunity, producing potential impediments to business networking and access to markets  Additional opportunity analysis was used to inform regional growth and development policy recommendations formulated by the Presidents’ Council of Cleveland, a committee of leading political, civic and business leaders in the African American community

MBE and Projected Job Change

MBE and Population Change 1990 to 2000

Cleveland opportunity analysis & race

 Austin, TX

Background on the Austin Initiative  The Central Texas Opportunity initiative was initiated by Community Partnership for the Homeless and involved a steering committee representing a diverse array of organizations in the Central Texas region  The committee included representatives from PeopleFund, a regional community development financial institution; PeopleFund, a regional community development financial institution; Envision Central Texas, a regional planning body; Envision Central Texas, a regional planning body; Capital Metro, the region’s public transit authority; Capital Metro, the region’s public transit authority; the Indigent Care Collaborative, a non-profit health organization focused on public health issues for the poor; the Indigent Care Collaborative, a non-profit health organization focused on public health issues for the poor; Capitol Area Council of Governments; Capitol Area Council of Governments; United Way Capital Area; United Way Capital Area; Habitat for Humanity; Habitat for Humanity; and several professors from the University of Texas’ Community & Regional Planning and Public Health Departments and several professors from the University of Texas’ Community & Regional Planning and Public Health Departments

Indicators of Opportunity: Austin

How is Opportunity Distributed in a Hot Market City? (Austin, TX) Opportunity in the Austin region is more centralized (not a hollow region like Cleveland or Baltimore). Although, opportunity is more centralized it is still spatially segregated.

An in-depth view of the distribution of high and low opportunity areas in and around the City of Austin

Linguistically Isolated People and the Comprehensive Opportunity Map for the Austin Region

Children of Color and Educational Opportunity

Public Health and Environmental Quality Opportunity Map (based on indicators of public health and environmental quality)

Using Opportunity Mapping Data to Explore Linkages  Example: How is the region’s public transit infrastructure connected to the region’s health care facilities (clinics, physicians offices, hospitals) Public transit lines are well connected to public health resources in the City of Austin, but transit access gaps exist with regard to health care resources directly to the west and north of the City of Austin Public transit lines are well connected to public health resources in the City of Austin, but transit access gaps exist with regard to health care resources directly to the west and north of the City of Austin

Shared Challenges: Viewing Areas of Educational Opportunity in the State of Ohio The following map presents areas of high (dark colors) and low (light colors) educational opportunity in the State. (Based on index of school quality and assessment of barriers to educational attainment). Note that many rural and urban communities face similar education challenges. Map Prepared by the Kirwan Institute for The Ohio State Economic Access Initiative

Neighborhoods of Opportunity and African American Males A Case Study of Seven Metropolitan Regions

Findings  2 out of 3 African American males in the seven metropolitan areas were found in low opportunity communities Compared to 1 out 5 White males Compared to 1 out 5 White males

Youth 14 and Younger  Similar results were found for younger males, 61% of African American males under 14 were found in low opportunity communities

Future Directions  More statewide projects  More explicit analysis of identifying declining and “threshold” neighborhoods Where are “turning point” communities Where are “turning point” communities Where are critical interventions needed Where are critical interventions needed Tie directly to researchTie directly to research  More on-line mapping applications  Linking more directly into planning processes (statewide planning, regional planning, comprehensive planning)