STUDENT OF CITIES, CARTOGRAPHY, DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND SUSTAINABILITY

MAPPING FORECLOSURES IN SUFFOLK COUNTY

AvgHouseholdSizeForWeb.jpg

​An independent GIS research project examining foreclosure characteristics in Suffolk County
Read the full report (pdf).

Foreclosure Risk Characteristics in Suffolk County

This analysis focuses on evaluating what may or may not be useful characteristics for recognizing foreclosure risk. Six characteristics were selected for evaluation: median household income, unemployment rate, vacancy rate, racial composition, percent rented units, and average household size.

Since the mortgage crisis began in 2008, foreclosures have been a prevalent element in American consciousness. Besides being an economic indicator, foreclosures have serious impacts on psychological health, family and social structure, and community vitality. The loss of a home threatens family stability and can further challenge maintaining employment as people grapple with securing housing or bouncing between temporary stays. Determining characteristics of foreclosure potential could possibly help cities and other agencies identify neighborhoods of high risk and then conduct outreach to mitigate negative impacts.