Safety & Environment measures crime rates, natural disaster risk, air quality, flood hazards, neighborhood complaint patterns, and environmental quality. While these factors don't drive growth, they can significantly detract from a location's appeal and long-term viability. Low scores here represent risk factors.
Environmental and safety risks directly impact insurance costs, tenant retention, and property values. Flood and natural disaster risk are particularly important for long-term CRE investments. High crime areas see reduced foot traffic and higher turnover. 311 complaint density reveals quality-of-life issues not captured by crime stats alone. These factors are weighted lower but can be deal-breakers.
Composite crime rate index based on violent and property crime statistics.
FBI Uniform Crime Report data at city/county level. Lower crime = higher score (inverted).
Flood zone classification and historical flood event frequency.
FEMA NFHL flood zone overlay. Higher risk zones receive lower scores.
Air quality, proximity to hazardous sites, and environmental justice indicators.
EPA EJScreen environmental indicators composite. Lower environmental burden = higher score.
Composite risk score for 18 natural hazard types including earthquakes, hurricanes, and wildfires.
FEMA NRI expected annual loss and social vulnerability at census tract level. Lower risk = higher score.
Real-time and historical air quality monitoring from nearby EPA stations.
EPA AirNow AQI data averaged over trailing 12 months. Lower AQI (better air) = higher score.
Density of neighborhood complaints covering noise, sanitation, and quality-of-life issues.
311 complaint volume per capita within radius. Lower complaint density = higher score.
A Safety & Environment score of 70 means environmental and safety conditions score 70 out of 100. Low crime, minimal flood and disaster risk, and clean air are the primary positive factors.