Mitigating the Social Challenges of Green Infrastructure: A Social Vulnerability Index

Investments in green infrastructure (GI) can greatly improve the well-being and resilience of urban areas. However, the implementation of GI also has different challenges, including social considerations. Therefore, GI solutions need to recognize those social challenges and plan spaces where uses are complementary rather than conflicting. Existing research has suggested potential strategies to address the social challenges of GIs; however, little-to-no studies have focused on modeling the vulnerability to GIs’ social challenges. This study aims to fill this research gap by proposing a GI social vulnerability index (SVI). A list of 35 indicators was identified. Then, the weight for each indicator was assigned using Principal Component Analysis. Finally, the weights of the 35 indicators were used to develop the SVI. The findings offered insights into the most vulnerable/susceptible Census tracts in NYC. The results also provided insights into the relative importance of different indicators that should be considered when implementing GI initiatives. This study adds to the body of knowledge by helping city planners and policymakers target areas for interventions and mitigate the social challenges of GI. The research also provides a better understanding of how GI implementation can impact urban areas and the residents.