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Flood Risk Impacts from an Unlikely Source: Redlining Efforts of the 1930s in Houston, Texas.

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Title: Flood Risk Impacts from an Unlikely Source: Redlining Efforts of the 1930s in Houston, Texas.
Authors: Bidadian, Behrang1 (AUTHOR) behrang.bidadian@mail.wvu.edu, Strager, Michael P.2 (AUTHOR), Butler, Peter3 (AUTHOR), Ghadimi, Hodjat4 (AUTHOR)
Source: Environmental Justice (19394071). Feb2025, Vol. 18 Issue 1, p36-46. 11p.
Subject Terms: *Green infrastructure, *Environmental justice, *Cities & towns, Geographic information systems, Spatial resolution, Flood risk
Abstract: In recent decades, urban areas have faced increasing flood risk, disproportionately affecting marginalized groups. The 1930s redlining practices in the United States have had socioeconomic and environmental impacts in multiple cities. However, there remains an incomplete understanding of the relationship between redlining and urban flood risk. This study addresses this need by investigating the spatial distribution of green infrastructure (GI) and impervious surfaces, as influential factors in mitigating and exacerbating flood risk, respectively, in the flood-prone redlined zones in Houston, Texas. Census blocks that intersected with floodplains and redlining map categories were identified, assigning redlining classes based on the overlap percentages. The proportions of impervious surfaces and GI elements were extracted from land cover data. Their median ratios were compared across redlining categories, and significant clusters of high imperviousness and low GI were mapped. The study found higher imperviousness and lower GI median ratios in redlined zones with strict housing loan restrictions categorized as "Hazardous" and "Definitely Declining." In addition, the significant clusters of high imperviousness and low GI were mainly located within these redlining zones. The spatial and temporal resolution limitations of available data are acknowledged. Higher-resolution land cover data spanning different periods and comprehensive flood hazard datasets including future climate change scenarios are recommended for more accurate analysis. This study linked prior research on flood risk disparities and historical discriminatory practices, revealing significant spatial relationships between Houston's redlined zones and the distribution of GI and imperviousness in flood-prone areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: GreenFILE
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Abstract:In recent decades, urban areas have faced increasing flood risk, disproportionately affecting marginalized groups. The 1930s redlining practices in the United States have had socioeconomic and environmental impacts in multiple cities. However, there remains an incomplete understanding of the relationship between redlining and urban flood risk. This study addresses this need by investigating the spatial distribution of green infrastructure (GI) and impervious surfaces, as influential factors in mitigating and exacerbating flood risk, respectively, in the flood-prone redlined zones in Houston, Texas. Census blocks that intersected with floodplains and redlining map categories were identified, assigning redlining classes based on the overlap percentages. The proportions of impervious surfaces and GI elements were extracted from land cover data. Their median ratios were compared across redlining categories, and significant clusters of high imperviousness and low GI were mapped. The study found higher imperviousness and lower GI median ratios in redlined zones with strict housing loan restrictions categorized as "Hazardous" and "Definitely Declining." In addition, the significant clusters of high imperviousness and low GI were mainly located within these redlining zones. The spatial and temporal resolution limitations of available data are acknowledged. Higher-resolution land cover data spanning different periods and comprehensive flood hazard datasets including future climate change scenarios are recommended for more accurate analysis. This study linked prior research on flood risk disparities and historical discriminatory practices, revealing significant spatial relationships between Houston's redlined zones and the distribution of GI and imperviousness in flood-prone areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:19394071
DOI:10.1089/env.2023.0027