Historical Redlining and Current Neighborhood Social Vulnerability in the United States

Abstract

Background:

In this study, we examined the association between historical redlining, a government-sanctioned racial discriminatory practice of the 1930s, and present-day neighborhood social vulnerability in the United States.

Methods:

We obtained the 2018 social vulnerability index (SVI) data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, linked it to 1930s Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) redlining maps, and assigned U.S. neighborhoods to one of four HOLC grades (“A: best,” “B: still desirable,” “C: definitely declining,” and “D: hazardous/redlined”).

Results:

Using multilevel models, we found significant association between historical HOLC redlining grades of neighborhoods and present-day overall, socioeconomic, minority status, household composition, and housing type/transportation vulnerability. Neighborhoods formerly assigned less favorable grades by the HOLC in the 1930s showed significantly greater vulnerability presently than those that were graded more favorably (i.e., “D” > “C” > “B” > “A” in SVI). For instance, neighborhoods that were formerly graded “B: still desirable,” “C: definitely declining,” and “D: hazardous/redlined” were 0.068-, 0.107-, and 0.114-unit greater in present-day overall SVI score, respectively, than neighborhoods previously graded “A: best” (mean score of 0.477). Also, we found that the relationship between HOLC security grades and all present-day neighborhood SVIs, except the household composition SVI, varied by city.

Conclusion:

This study indicates that historical redlining, an indicator of structural racism, has a lasting impact on neighborhood social vulnerability.