The Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) shows neighborhoods whose residents are more at risk for dying during and immediately following extreme heat. It uses a statistical model to summarize the most important social and environmental factors that contribute to neighborhood heat risk. The factors included in the HVI are surface temperature, green space, access to home air conditioning, and the percentage of residents who are low-income or non-Latinx Black. Differences in these risk factors across neighborhoods are rooted in past and present racism. Neighborhoods are scored from 1 (lowest risk) to 5 (highest risk) by summing the following factors and assigning them into 5 groups (quintiles):
Median Household Income (American Community Survey 5 year estimate, 2016-2020) Percent vegetative cover (trees, shrubs or grass) (2017 LiDAR, NYC DOITT) Percent of population reported as Non-Hispanic Black on Census 2020 Average surface temperature Fahrenheit from ECOSSTRESS thermal imaging, August 27,2020 Percent of households reporting Air Conditioning access, Housing ad Vacancy Survey, 2017