Planning for Post-Disaster Housing in Legacy Communities
Identifying populations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta historic communities at high risk of requiring temporary emergency housing.
Project Overview
The mission of the Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness (SRCEH) is to end and prevent homelessness in the Sacramento region through policy analysis, community education, civic engagement, collective organizing and advocacy.
Due to the increased impact of climate change on our community, including severe weather, fires and floods, SRCEH has expanded our analysis and advocacy to include the intersection of homelessness and environmental justice.
In Sacramento County, between 7,000 and 10,000 people have been experiencing homelessness, with 70% of our unhoused neighbors unsheltered due to lack of emergency shelter and affordable and accessible housing. Our unhoused neighbors are constantly exposed to soil and water contamination, air and noise pollution, severe weather events, wildfires and smoke and flooding. Our elected officials add to this environmental crisis by not providing adequate access to bathrooms, fresh water and trash pickup at homeless encampments, compounded by law enforcement sweeps of encampments that confiscate people's survival gear. The intersection of homelessness and climate change was the reason why SRCEH joined the Delta Stewardship Council's Environmental Justice Working Group.
This year's Science for Communities project is focused on homelessness prevention through the lens of asking the question, "how many low-income people, especially seniors and people with disabilities are at high risk of becoming homeless in the event of severe flooding in the Delta legacy communities of Clarksburg, Freeport, Courtland, Hood, Locke, Walnut Grove, Ryde, Isleton, Rio Vista, Bethel Island, and Knightsen and what can we do as a community to better plan for such a potentially catastrophic event?" The answer to this important question includes educating elected officials in these cities, as well as the Sacramento County board of Supervisors, about this potential crisis and advocating for a proactive, coordinated response to minimize the number of people and families that could become homeless.
Legacy Communities
Legacy communities are historic rural communities in the Delta cited in Public Resources Code section 32301(f). They include Bethel Island, Clarksburg, Courtland, Freeport, Hood, Isleton, Knightsen, Locke, Rio Vista, Ryde, and Walnut Grove.
Vulnerable Populations within Legacy Communities
Identifying Vulnerable Populations in CA Legacy Communities
Access to Shelter
The interactive map above highlights the public housing buildings and emergency shelter housing units within and beyond legacy communities to visualize the lack of accessibility to these buildings when needed.
Vulnerable Populations
The map visualizes the concentration of people over the age of 65, people living with disabilities, and the total occupied housing units within the Legacy Communities.
What We Can Learn
Access to areas of shelter for vulnerable populations can be a difficult in Legacy Communities, as a majority of public housing buildings and emergency shelter housing units fall outside of these areas. It is important to highlight this barrier to access when considering inclusive emergency response efforts during and after extreme flood events.
Quantifying Flood Risk within Vulnerable Populations
CDP = Census-Designated Place
Individuals With Disabilities Likely to Require Temporary Emergency Housing
Residents living with disabilities may have specific needs and face greater challenges during and after a flood event. Communities with a higher number of people with disabilities might require tailored evacuation plans that consider mobility issues, medical needs, and communication barriers. Highlighting these populations ensures inclusive and effective emergency planning efforts. Throughout the Legacy Communities, we can see moderate to high concentrations of individuals residing in these areas living with a disability. Knightsen is home to around 500 individuals with disabilities (~30% of the total population), while nearly 2000 Rio Vista residents live with disabilities (~19% of the total population).
Occupied Housing Units Likely to Require Temporary Emergency Housing
Understanding which communities have the most occupied housing units can help in planning resource allocation for emergency services, temporary shelters, and aid distribution in the event of a flood. Communities with a high number of occupied housing units may have more infrastructure and properties at risk. This can be critical for assessing the overall potential damage and planning mitigation strategies, allowing for the development of effective communication strategies to ensure that residents receive timely warnings and instructions. Throughout the Legacy Communities, we can see low to moderate concentrations of occupied housing units, which is important to identify for emergency planning. The community of Walnut Grove is home to over 350 occupied housing units, while there are over 500 occupied housing units in Knightsen and over 800 in Bethel Island.
Individuals 65+ of Age Likely to Require Temporary Emergency Housing
Older adults might have different requirements for temporary shelter or housing. Effective communication before, during, and after a flood is crucial. Identifying communities with a high population of older individuals can inform the planning and provision of appropriate accommodations. The community of Rio Vista is home to a large elderly population (~19% of the total population), making tailored emergency response efforts necessary for this region.
