Manuals and Metrics

As a critical layer of analysis, an overlay identifying concentrations of residents that are vulnerable to being impacted negatively by change was developed. The analysis identifies residents that have characteristics that tend to make them more vulnerable to potential displacement. Unfortunately, the same characteristics that make certain populations susceptible to displacement are used in identifying whether environmental impacts are justly distributed. Areas with higher concentrations of vulnerable populations are overlaid on the access to opportunity and environmental justice maps to better understand how physical conditions, access, costs and benefits impact residents that have suffered from systemic racial and other social discrimination and/or are less likely to be able to adapt to economic and other changes. The measures contributing to vulnerability to displacement are often good indicators, along with low or no car ownership, of transit propensity as well. Transit propensity is a concept that measures the likelihood of using public transit.

Four measures have been documented as major contributors to vulnerability to displacement and are used to identify the areas with the most vulnerable populations across Charlotte:

• Poverty Rate;
• Educational Attainment;
• Race; and
• Age.

Areas that meet these four conditions will be identified as areas vulnerable to displacement.