How do we do it?
Site selection, Methodology, and General Approach
Methodology
Identifying underserved areas for postal facility adaptation requires looking a multiple data layers at once. To do this an assessment matrix has been developed to determine the viable strategies for various postal facility types. This matrix helps to evaluate complimentary uses addressing food access and security, community health, information and communication technologies, energy systems, and economic development. Indicators to focus property evaluation include:
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Rapid shifts in neighborhood population
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Historic environmental vulnerabilities, such as flooding and air pollution
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Proximity to transit-oriented development (TOD)
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Proximity to food sources, thereby identifying food deserts
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Opioid hotspots
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Frequency of crime in neighborhoods
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Access to high-speed Internet / broadband coverage​
Using GIS tools, and consolidating multiple indicator heatmaps, we can determine the most vulnerable and underserved locations and areas of opportunity in neighborhoods where postal facilities could be adapted to serve the communities they are situated in (highlighted in red).
When compared to leased postal facilities (identified as black dots) and even more specifically suspended or discontinued facilities, ideal locations for interventions are revealed.