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Windshield Survey and Environmental Analysis

Checklist

This checklist provides a list of items to consider when doing a windshield survey and environmental analysis. Please know not every item will be in every community you are assessing.

1. Housing. What is the age and condition of housing in the neighborhoods you are surveying. Are houses and apartment buildings kept up or are they run-down and in need of repair. Are yards neat or overgrown?

2. Other Buildings. Are the buildings mostly or fully occupied? Do public and commercial buildings seem accessible to people with disabilities?

3. Public Spaces. Are there public spaces where people can gather? Are they well kept? Do they have seating areas, trees and plants, attractive design, cafes or food vendors, or other features meant to encourage people to use the spaces?

4. Parks. Are parks used by a variety of people? Are they well kept? Are there sports facilities?

5. Culture & Entertainment. Are there museums, libraries, theaters, restaurants, clubs, sports stadiums, historic sites? Are they centrally located and/or reachable by transportation?

6. Streetscape. The streetscape is the environment created by streets and sidewalks, buildings, trees, etc. Are building facades and storefronts attractive and welcoming? Are the streets and sidewalks relatively clean?

7. Street Use. Are there people on the streets at most times of the day? In the evening? Are streets well-lit at night?

8. Commercial Activity. What kinds of businesses are there? Are there boarded-up or vacant storefronts? Is there a mix of large and small businesses? Are there grocery stores, pharmacy, and/or other stores that provide necessities in the community?

9. Industry. What kinds of industry exists in the community? Does it seem to be causing pollution?

10. Land Use. How much open space does there appear to be? How are residential, commercial, and industrial areas distributed? Do major roads or railroads divide neighborhoods or are they on the edges of the community?

11. Infrastructure. What is the condition of roads, bridges, sidewalks? Do all parts of the community seem to be equally served by electricity, water, phone, fiber optic, wastewater treatment, waste disposal, and other infrastructure services?

12. Public Transportation. Is there a functioning public transportation system? Is it well used? Does it allow relatively easy access to all parts of the community?

13. Traffic. How heavy is traffic in the community? Is it mostly commercial and industrial with vans and trucks or mostly private cars? Is there gridlock? Are there bicycles?

14. Environmental Quality. How much usable green space is there, and is it scattered throughout the community? Is there smog or haze? What is the air quality? Water quality? Industrial waste, chemicals, car exhaust, garbage smell? Are ponds, streams, and lakes reasonably clear?

15. Race/Ethnicity. Who lives in the community? Are there identifiable racial and ethnic groups? Do particular groups live in particular areas in the community?

16. Faith. What kinds of religious institutions are there? Do the institutions of one particular religion or sect dominate? Are there separate houses of worship for people of different ethnicities or races, even if they share the same faith?

17. Health Services. How many hospitals and clinics are in the community? Are there healthcare facilities outside the immediate community? How far? How large? What services do they provide? Are there dentists? Are there specialists?

18. Community and Public Services. Are there identifiable community service providers and organizations in the community? Mental health centers? Food banks? Homeless shelters? Are these accessible by public transportation?

19. Community Safety. Where are police and fire stations located? What are the concerns for crime and public safety?

20. Education. What are the educational options for students? Are there colleges and universities? If not in the community, how far are they from the community?

21. Neighborhood Differences. What are the differences between among different areas of the community? Are schools, stores, public and other buildings, streets in different areas of the community in different condition? Are some areas neglected?

22. Feel of the Community. What is your overall impression of the community?