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Socially Vulnerable Populations: Under-Recognized Victims of Flooding

Disasters

Jo Ann Howard, JDPresident, H2O Partners, Inc.

Social Vulnerability (SV) is the relationship between social, economic, and demographic characteristics that influence resiliency.

Adverse Impacts of flooding “tend to fall disproportionately on socially vulnerable populations.” Framing the Challenge of Urban Flooding in the United States by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine

Place - location - is another factor to consider with indexing SV. Each place is unique.

Social Vulnerability

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University of Texas at San Antonio Research

Source: Dr. Lorenzo D. Sanchez, CEM, UTSA Office of Emergency Management; Esri; HERE; DeLorme; MapmyIndia; ©OpenStreetMap contributors; and the GIS user community. Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI) algorithm takes 20-30 demographic indicators to develop index.

SoVI

Census Flows Mapper

Source: United States Census Bureau, 2012-2016 5-year American Community Survey 4

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Contributing Factors:• Socioeconomic status

• Medical conditions

• Age (Children & Elderly)

• Mobility

• Race

• Gender

• Education

• Access to public transportation

• Housing types

• Female-headed households

• Place

Who is most vulnerable?

Lawyers Provide Volunteer Legal Aid to Help SV People

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Legal assistance valuable for help with title, landlord/tenant, eviction, records, etc.

Source: https://www.disasterlegalaid.org/legalaidstaff/item.5382-Disaster_Manuals_and_Presentations

Populations may be predisposed to higher or lower risks to flooding-related

disasters given spatial variations of place.

Place-Based Considerations

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Research Questions

Are there differentials in casualty risk relative to social vulnerability, and do certain environmental factors increase risk more than

others?

Does type of place moderate the effects of social vulnerability on disaster casualty risk, and does this operate the same over time?Does social vulnerability risk change over time and across place,

and what areas consistently experience high risk values?Does the level of vulnerability correlate with certain characteristics of place, and do certain types of place increase or decrease risk?

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Areas for Analysis

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UTSA study divided areas into:

• LARGE METRO

• RURAL

• URBAN ADJACENT

• URBAN NON-ADJACENT

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Recommendations for using Social Vulnerability Analysis

• Target programs and services (planning and response)

• Identify and address specific needs in recovery phase

• Implement mitigation programs that increase community resiliency, including those who need more help to avoid repeated losses

Future Research & Conclusions

Government at all levels - especially at the local level - can:

• Further identify place-based exposure to hazards

• Consider if social vulnerability manifests differently for hazards other than flooding by type of place

• Identify other variables that contribute to SV

• Partner with local and state pro bono attorneys to assist people without access to legal help

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Representative VOADs and NGOs

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www.h2opartnersusa.com

Credits: Dr. Lorenzo D. SanchezDirector of Emergency ManagementThe University of Texas at San Antonio

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Socially Vulnerable groups should be recognized and planned for before and after flooding.

Place matters when we consider their ability to survive and thrive. Locals know best.

There is help but it’s often hard to navigate without guidance -legal and programmatic.