NSF Belmont Forum Collaborative Research: Advancing Resilience in Low-Income Housing Using Climate-Change Science and Big Data Analytics

Project Overview: This NSF-funded project (Award #2019754) is part of the Belmont Forum’s Disaster Risk, Reduction, and Resilience (DR3) initiative, a global effort to assess and mitigate disaster risks through transdisciplinary collaboration. The study investigates strategies to enhance the resilience of low-income communities living in flood-prone and climate-vulnerable regions, with a geographic focus on Brazil, East Africa, and the southeastern United States. The U.S. component centers on coastal and urban communities in Florida, particularly those at risk from flooding and extreme weather events. Research Objectives: Through a transdisciplinary approach, the project integrates machine learning, geospatial analytics, and socio-economic data to: - Assess community-level vulnerabilities to flooding and extreme heat, -Identify barriers to adopting disaster-resilient housing, - Co-design affordable, climate-resilient housing prototypes using sustainable, locally sourced materials. The research aims to support community-informed design strategies and policy recommendations that are adaptable across different socio-economic and geographic contexts. Dataset Description: The dataset contains responses from approximately 500 residents aged 18+ living in low-income, flood-prone neighborhoods in Florida. The survey captures detailed information on: - Housing conditions and infrastructure, - Disaster preparedness and flood risk perception, - Access to services during and after disasters, - Health and economic impacts of extreme weather events, - Community cohesion and recovery strategies. This dataset serves as a resource for researchers, urban planners, emergency response agencies, and policymakers seeking data-driven insights to inform resilient housing design, climate adaptation, and disaster recovery planning. Data Collection and Anonymity: Survey distribution and data collection were conducted in partnership with Centiment, a third-party research company that recruits demographically targeted panels for academic and applied research. For this study, Centiment distributed the survey to residents of low-income, flood-prone communities in Florida, based on geographic and socio-economic criteria specified by the research team. All personally identifiable information (PII), such as IP addresses, email addresses, and precise geolocation data, was removed prior to uploading the dataset to DesignSafe. The dataset has been reviewed to ensure participant anonymity in accordance with DesignSafe data protection policies and applicable ethical standards.