HeatReady Neighborhoods: A Planning Rubric for Extreme Heat

Melissa Guardaro, Augie Gastelum, Ryan Winkle, Mary Munoz Encinas, Jennifer Vanos, Sarah Bassett and David Hondula

Journal of the American Planning Association, 2025, vol. 91, issue 2, 177-191

Abstract: Problem, research strategy, and findingsRising temperatures and prolonged heat waves present significant challenges for all communities and are further exacerbated by socioeconomic and spatial vulnerabilities. Extreme heat impacts are amplified in areas with historic underinvestment in infrastructure, discriminatory redlining practices, and limited access to cooling amenities. To ethically mitigate and adapt to these impacts, holistically addressing urban heat impacts and coping strategies at the neighborhood level is crucial. Here we present the development of a HeatReady Neighborhoods planning rubric, co-created with community members and academic partners. The rubric evaluated overall HeatReady performance levels based on community-specific values and served as a modular template for assessing heat readiness using the Phoenix (AZ) metropolitan region as a case study.Takeaway for PracticeBy prioritizing hyperlocal, neighborhood-scale needs, the planning rubric can enable communities to optimize their social, physical, and natural assets for improved resilience to extreme heat and other slow-moving natural hazards. This adaptable model can guide planners, city officials, and community leaders in co-creating strategies with neighborhoods to effectively identify, mitigate, and build adaptation to the adverse effects of extreme heat, filling a gap in mainstream, agency-led heat action planning.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/01944363.2024.2396923

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