❮ Projects page DataHaven

Spatial Analysis Project:

DataHaven has access to geocoded data sets on a variety of issues that impact the metropolitan area, such as housing, crime, foreclosures, community investments, scholarship recipients, student achievement, and block-level data from thousands of local residents obtained by some of the most comprehensive health and quality of life surveys conducted anywhere in the nation.

These data are currently being used by many researchers to answer a variety of research questions, but DataHaven requires guidance on the best ways to present the spatial data visually for public consumption.

Current questions that we have begun to answer, but which require better visualization, include:

• What is the distribution of crime in each neighborhood? Can this information be used to identify “hot spots” of crime, where environmental interventions (e.g., better lighting) are needed? Are crimes more likely to take place on a city “block face” that has suffered from foreclosures?
• Are elementary school students more likely to achieve in school, or be healthy, when they live in a more stable neighborhood with greater levels of tree cover or less pollution?
• Are residents more involved in their local communities when they live on city “block faces” where other residents have reported having good sidewalks, bike lanes, and parks?
• What environmental factors are associated with the neighborhoods of students and family households who report food insecurity and/or hunger?
• Connecticut is the most rapidly growing state in the Northeast, other than New Hampshire. Where in the region/state is immigration and migration taking place, and what are the characteristics of the people who are moving here?

Data available:

All of the data sets suggested above are available, both as de-identified individual records (in the case of household survey or crime data) as well as in aggregate form (e.g., aggregated by Census Block or Neighborhood) for New Haven. All data sets have been geocoded in cases where appropriate. We also have prepared a large set of Census, American Community Survey, and other State or Federal administrative data, processed into indicators and calculated for all FIPS codes (including Census blocks and/or block groups), towns, and local neighborhoods, which makes mapping data easy. All shapefiles are also available. In many cases, we have longitudinal data over a period of several years, and we also have a growing number of unique statewide (Connecticut) data sets through our work with CTData.org, primarily at a town level, which can be visualized in new ways.

Maps and Reports that will be created:

We are looking for a creative fellow who can help us create cutting-edge online or static maps that go above and beyond the typical choropleth maps of Census Block Groups. We are looking to create more complicated geospatial analyses, e.g., based on point level data, modeled (“smoothed”) data, or “block face”-level data, rather than simply maps of data aggregated to a block. Combined with a thoughtful approach to presentation, these analyses can help communicate various issues of concern to the general public and local government, as well as support our collaborative research projects with local universities on issues such as health, food security, education, and community safety.

How the maps and reports will be used:

The analyses produced by the fellow will be used within the frequent reports that we publish for our community, many of which can be found on the DataHaven website or blog. We also collaborate on data analyses with local university researchers and philanthropic organizations, and our work is often cited in media outlets. We would be happy to cite your involvement on any work that we publish.