Benchmarking Uptown

BENCHMARKING UPTOWN

BENCHMARKING UPTOWN

26 Indicators of Community Importance

26 Indicators of Community Importance

Produced by: Tampa Bay Partnership Foundation

Produced by: Tampa Bay Partnership Foundation

Supported by: The Florida Blue Foundation

Supported by: The Florida Blue Foundation

Executive Summary

Thisreport,producedbytheTampaBayPartnership Foundationwithgenerousfinancialsupportfrom theFloridaBlueFoundation,isafirst-of-its-kind communitytoolthatappliesthemethodologies usedintheRegionalCompetitivenessReporttoone specificneighborhood.Theneighborhoodof interestisUptown,alsoknownastheUniversity Area,inHillsboroughCounty,Florida.

Uptownisaneighborhoodconsistingof5.4 squaremilesadjacenttotheTampacampusof theUniversityofSouthFlorida.TheneighborhoodisanchoredbyUniversitySquareMall,with EastFowlerAvenueandEastFletcherAvenue servingassignificantthoroughfaresthroughoutthe community.Theseborderscreateahighlydiverse neighborhoodofroughly46,000peoplewholive andworkintheTampaBayregion.

Diversityisoneofthethingsresidentssaidtheylove aboutlivinginUptown.Unfortunately,impactsfrom historicpoliciesrootedinsystemracismcontinueto havemodernimpactsanditisnotuncommon acrosstheUnitedStatesofAmericatofindthat neighborhoodswiththemostdiversity,i.e.,places withahighernon-White,non-Hispanicpopulation, arealsoneighborhoodswhereresidentshavelower incomesandpoorhealthoutcomes.Residentsin theseneighborhoodsfacegreaterbarrierstobreakingthroughthemulti-generationalholdpoverty creates.

Thestrugglesofovercomingmulti-generational povertyinAmericaarewelldocumented.In HillsboroughCountyspecifically,achildbornto parentswithhighincome hasa23percentchance ofalsobelongingtothetopincomebracket byage 35.However,achildborntolow-incomeparents onlyhasasevenpercentchanceofthissame success.InpartsofUptown,thechancesofachild reachingthetopincomebracket(forchildrenborn toparentsatalllevelsoftheincomedistribution) areaslowasthreepercent.

ThisrevealsthatUptownresidentsfacesignificant challengesinachievingupwardmobility.Investmentandsystemicchangeareneededtoensure thatallresidentsintheTampaBayregionreceive thesameopportunitytoprosper,andthatthe characteristicsoftheirneighborhoodarenot holdingthemback.Actorsatalllevelsareworking toimprovecommunityoutcomesrangingfrom residentstocommunityintermediariessuchasthe UniversityAreaCommunityDevelopmentCorporation(UACDC),UnitedWaySuncoast,andSoaring CityInnovationPartnership,tolargefoundations suchastheFloridaBlueFoundation.Thisreportis intendedtohelpactorsandtheprivatesectorin TampaBaytounderstandwhatneighborhood inequalitiesinUptownmakeitespeciallydi icult forUptownresidentstothrive.

Householdincomeinthe75thpercentileoftheincomedistribution,roughly$95,000in2015. Householdincomeinthe80thpercentileoftheincomedistribution. Householdsincomeinthe25thpercentileoftheincomedistribution,roughly$27,000in2015. Datafromopportunityatlas.org,asdevelopedbyOpportunityInsightsfromHarvardUniversity. https://opportunityinsights.org/policy/frequently-asked-questions/

TOPIC COMMUNITY ASSETS

TOPIC COMMUNITY ASSETS COMMUNITY GAPS

HEALTHOUTCOMES None iden�fied

HEALTH ACCESS

High number of doctors’ offices and community health centers

HOUSING Be�er affordability for homeowners

FOOD High level of overall food access

CRIMINAL JUSTICE None iden�fied

MOBILITY, BUSES High access to bus stops

MOBILITY, SAFETY None iden�fied

K-12 EDUCATION

Select high schools have high gradua�on rates

COMMUNITY GAPS

Lower life expectancy and greater mental health needs

Low health insurance rates

Worse affordability for renters (who represent most of the popula�on)

Lower percentage of healthy food op�ons

High child incarcera�on rate

High reliance on buses suggests a need for more bus infrastructure

High pedestrian and cyclist fatality rate

Lower numbers of teachers and funding per student, low levels of internet access at home

EMPLOYMENT

High percentage of workers employed within 10 miles of home

INCOME None iden�fied

High barriers to employment such as educa�onal a�ainment levels, higher share of immediate employment in the service industry, workers who cannot find employment in the immediate area must travel farther

Low net worth suggests a lack of longterm wealth genera�ng power

Boxeswherenoassetswereidentifiedmeantheanalysisinthisreportdidnotrevealacommunityasset. Assetsmayexistthatwerenotstudiedhere.

Ofcourse,therearetopicsthatdonothavea datasettoanalyzeandbenchmark.Information suchastheamountofmoneyresidentsput towardsrentalapplicationfeesonlytobedenied aunitwasofsignificantinteresttocommunity members.Suchqualitativefindingsmustcome fromresidentsandthecommunityintermediaries whoservethem.Withthisinmind,thefindings fromthisreportsetthestageforcommunitygoal

settingandadvocacy.However,community intermediariesshouldusereportdatawiththe resident'svoiceattheforefront.

Thefullreportdivesdeepintothetopicslisted above,withsourcenotesandvisualizations contextualizingUptown’sstandingagainst thebroaderregion.

The table below summarizes the findings by highlighting where there are community assets and where there are community gaps.

Introduction

Where is Uptown?

Uptown,alsoknownastheUniversityArea,isa neighborhoodadjacenttotheTampaCampusof theUniversityofSouthFlorida(USF)intheTampa Bayregion.Only5.4squaremiles,theneighborhoodisanchoredbyUniversitySquareMall.East FowlerAvenueandEastFletcherAvenueserveas majorthoroughfaresthroughthecommunity.On theeasternborder,runningalongBruceB.Downs Boulevard,severalregionalinstitutionsinclude: FloridaHospitalTampa,Mo ittCancerCenter, JamesA.HaleyVeterans’Hospital,USF,anindustrialparkthathousesPepsiTampaandYuengling BrewingCompany,andBuschGardenstheme park.Ontheneighborhood'swestside,I-275 servesastheneighborhoodboundary,asdoes BearssAvenueEasttothenorthandEastBusch Boulevardtothesouth.

Theseborderscreateahighlydiverseneighborhoodofroughly46,000peoplewholiveandwork intheTampaBayregion.IntheUptownneighborhood,thereisan87percentchancethattwo peopleselectedatrandomwillbelongtodi erent racialorethnicgroups.Comparethatto80 percentintheCityofTampaand70percentinthe entireTampa-St.Petersburg-ClearwaterMetropolitanStatisticalArea(encompassingHernando, Hillsborough,Pasco,andPinellasCounties, referredtoastheTampaMSAintheremainder ofthisreport).

Withthisdiversityinmind,itislesssurprisingto seehowfasttheneighborhoodhasgrownoverthe lastdecade.From2010to2020,thepopulationof Uptowngrewby20percent.Putanotherway, roughlyone-in-fiveUptownresidentsmovedinto theareainthelast10years.Comparethistothe 15and14percentgrowthexperiencedbytheCity ofTampaandTampaMSAoverthesameperiod.

Uptown Advantages and Challenges

Diversityisoneofthethingsresidentssaidthey loveaboutlivinginUptown.Fromoneresident’s perspective,acombinationofculturesand ethnicity(inUptown)contributestoadiverse communityandmakesthemabetterperson. Othercommunityassetsincludetheproximityto thebeachandBuschGardensforentertainment andtheneighborhood’scentrallocation,makingit easytogettodi erentplaces,whetherbycaror bus.

Uptown is a highly diverse neighborhood. There is an 87% chance that two people selected at random will belong to different racial or ethnic groups.

Unfortunately,itisnotuncommonacrossAmerica tofindthatneighborhoodswiththemostdiversity,i.e.,placeswithahighernon-White, non-Hispanicpopulation,arealsoneighborhoods whereresidentshavelowerincomesandpoor healthoutcomes.Residentsintheseneighborhoodsfacegreaterbarrierstobreakingthrough themulti-generationalholdpovertycreates.In communityconversations,residentspointedout multiplebarrierstheyfacetoimprovingtheir livelihoodswhichcouldbesummedupbyone resident’scomment,“Peopleworkinginthe neighborhoodwhoarekeepingTampaaliveare strugglingtofindhousingandraiseafamily.”

Map1-Uptown

Databacksthisstatement.Estimatesprovidedby UnitedWaySuncoastshowthat,asof2018,more thanone-third(39percent)ofhouseholdsin UptownareALICEhouseholds,meaningtheyare AssetLimited,IncomeConstrained,andEmployed. ALICEhouseholdsstruggletomaintainafamily survivalbudgetandlikelycannota orda$400hitto theirmonthlybudget.Morethantwo-thirds(68 percent)ofthehouseholdsinUptowneitherhave incomebelowthefederalpovertylevelorareALICE households. ComparethistoHillsboroughCounty, where42percentofhouseholdshaveincomes belowtheALICEthreshold.

ALICEnumbersrevealthatmanyfamiliesinUptown strugglefinancially,whiledatafromOpportunity Insightshighlightsthemulti-generationalpull createdbypoverty.Thestrugglesofovercoming multi-generationalpovertyinAmericaarewell documented.InHillsboroughCountyspecifically,a childborntoparentswithhighincome hasa23 percentchanceofalsobelongingtothetopincome bracket byage35.However,achildborntolowincomeparents onlyhasasevenpercentchanceof thissamesuccess.InpartsofUptown,thechances ofachildreachingthetopincomebracket(for childrenborntoparentsatalllevelsoftheincome distribution)areaslowasthreepercent.

Databacksthisstatement.Estimatesprovidedby UnitedWaySuncoastshowthat,asof2018,more thanone-third(39percent)ofhouseholdsin UptownareALICEhouseholds,meaningtheyare AssetLimited,IncomeConstrained,andEmployed. ALICEhouseholdsstruggletomaintainafamily survivalbudgetandlikelycannota orda$400hitto theirmonthlybudget.Morethantwo-thirds(68 percent)ofthehouseholdsinUptowneitherhave incomebelowthefederalpovertylevelorareALICE households. ComparethistoHillsboroughCounty, where42percentofhouseholdshaveincomes belowtheALICEthreshold.

ALICEnumbersrevealthatmanyfamiliesinUptown strugglefinancially,whiledatafromOpportunity Insightshighlightsthemulti-generationalpull createdbypoverty.Thestrugglesofovercoming multi-generationalpovertyinAmericaarewell documented.InHillsboroughCountyspecifically,a childborntoparentswithhighincome hasa23 percentchanceofalsobelongingtothetopincome bracket byage35.However,achildborntolowincomeparents onlyhasasevenpercentchanceof thissamesuccess.InpartsofUptown,thechances ofachildreachingthetopincomebracket(for childrenborntoparentsatalllevelsoftheincome distribution)areaslowasthreepercent.

ThisrevealsthatUptownresidentsfacesignificant challengesinachievingupwardmobility. Investmentandsystemicchangeareneededto ensurethatallresidentsintheTampaBayregion receivethesameopportunitytoprosper,andthat thecharacteristicsoftheirneighborhoodarenot holdingthemback.Actorsatalllevelsareworking toimprovecommunityoutcomesrangingfrom residentstocommunityintermediariessuchas theUniversityAreaCommunityDevelopment Corporation(UACDC),UnitedWaySuncoast,and SoaringCityInnovationPartnership,tolarge foundationssuchastheFloridaBlueFoundation.

ThisrevealsthatUptownresidentsfacesignificant challengesinachievingupwardmobility. Investmentandsystemicchangeareneededto ensurethatallresidentsintheTampaBayregion receivethesameopportunitytoprosper,andthat thecharacteristicsoftheirneighborhoodarenot holdingthemback.Actorsatalllevelsareworking toimprovecommunityoutcomesrangingfrom residentstocommunityintermediariessuchasthe UniversityAreaCommunityDevelopment Corporation(UACDC),UnitedWaySuncoast,and SoaringCityInnovationPartnership,tolarge foundationssuchastheFloridaBlueFoundation.

Thisreportisintendedtohelpactorsandthe privatesectorinTampaBaytounderstandwhat neighborhoodinequalitiesinUptownmakeit especiallydi icultforUptownresidentstothrive.

Thisreportisintendedtohelpactorsandthe privatesectorinTampaBaytounderstandwhat neighborhoodinequalitiesinUptownmakeit especiallydi icultforUptownresidentstothrive.

68% of households in Uptown have income below the federal poverty level or are ALICE households.

68% of households in Uptown have income below the federal poverty level or are ALICE households.

Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed (ALICE) households

Estimatesbasedon2018zipcodeleveldataprovidedbyUnitedWaySuncoastfortheStateofFlorida.WhiletheUptowngeographyisnot basedonacollectionofzipcodes,zipcode33612and33613areusedwheredatanecessitatesanalysisatthisgeographiclevel.

Householdincomeinthe75thpercentileoftheincomedistribution,roughly$95,000in2015.

Householdincomeinthe80thpercentileoftheincomedistribution.

Estimatesbasedon2018zipcodeleveldataprovidedbyUnitedWaySuncoastfortheStateofFlorida.WhiletheUptowngeographyisnot basedonacollectionofzipcodes,zipcode33612and33613areusedwheredatanecessitatesanalysisatthisgeographiclevel.

Householdsincomeinthe25thpercentileoftheincomedistribution,roughly$27,000in2015.

Datafromopportunityatlas.org,asdevelopedbyOpportunityInsightsfromHarvardUniversity. https://opportunityinsights.org/policy/frequently-asked-questions/

Householdincomeinthe75thpercentileoftheincomedistribution,roughly$95,000in2015.

Householdincomeinthe80thpercentileoftheincomedistribution.

Householdsincomeinthe25thpercentileoftheincomedistribution,roughly$27,000in2015. Datafromopportunityatlas.org,asdevelopedbyOpportunityInsightsfromHarvardUniversity.

https://opportunityinsights.org/policy/frequently-asked-questions/

Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed (ALICE) households struggle to maintain a family survival budget and likely cannot afford a $400 hit to their monthly budget.

What is this report? How to use it.

Thisreport,producedbytheTampaBayPartnership FoundationwithgenerousfinancialsupportfromtheFlorida BlueFoundation,isafirst-of-its-kindcommunitytoolthat appliesthemethodologiesusedintheRegional CompettivenessReporttoonespecificneighborhood.TheRegional CompetitivenessReportcomparesasinglearea,Tampa Bay,toothermajorcitiesonmorethan60indicatorsto benchmarkandquantifytheregion’sperformance andprogress.

ApplyingthisanalyticalapproachtotheUptownneighborhoodidentifiescommunitystrengthsandgaps,helps communitymembersadvocateforfundsandservices, andsetsthestageforcommunitygoalsetting.Thisreport comparesUptowntotheCityofTampa,Hillsborough County,theTampaMSA,andtheStateofFloridaacross morethan25metricsbrokenoutintocategoriesof communityimportance.

Communityintermediariescanuseinsightsfromthereport todefinestrategiesandleadtotransformativeinvestments inUptown’sfuture.

Selecting Metrics

WhileinspiredbytheRegionalCompetitivenessReport,thisbenchmarkingreporthastailoredmetricsto Uptown.SoaringCitiesPartnershipandCrossoverChurchhostedtwocommunityfeedbacksessionsin AugustandSeptemberof2022whereresidentsexpressedtheiropinionsonthepositiveaspectsand challengestheyfacedlivinginUptown.

Majortopicsofconversationincludedmobilityandpedestriansafety,homelessness,housinga ordability, andtheneedformoreservicesinthecommunityforchildrenandindividualsimpactedbythecriminal justicesystem.Specificcommentsandinsightsareincludedthroughoutthereport.

ThefindingsintheUniversityAreaCommunityDevelopmentCorporation’s2019CommunitySurveyalso informedmetricselection.TheUACDCsurveysthecommunityapproximatelyeverytwoyearstohelpdefine programmingandidentifycommunityneeds.Forexample,arecentsurveyhighlightedthedesireformore jobsintheneighborhoodthatpayalivablewage,additionalbusserviceoptionsthataddresslast-mile transit,theremovalofthreegrocerybagper-personlimits,andmorerent-to-ownhousingprograms.

Thisquantitativeandqualitativedatainformedthefinallistof26metricsandreflectedthecommunity's needs.Themetricsfallintofivecategories:

CIVIC QUALITY

This section covers a wide range of topics, from health outcomes to the population impacted by the criminal justice system. It reinforces the point that neighborhood characteristics impact the lives of residents in the same way as where people work

THE

Health Outcomes

Percentage of 2-1-1 Calls for Mental Health and Addiction Services

Theshareoftotalcallsto2-1-1centersrequestingmentalhealthandaddictionservices.2-1-1isafreeservice acrossthecountrywhereindividualsaredirectedtothecommunityservicestheyneedintheirarea.Itis importanttonotethatdataisonlyavailableatthezipcodelevel,thereforethedatareflectedforthismetric coversalargergeographythanothermetricsinthereport.TheUptownneighborhoodiscontainedwithin twolargerzipcodes(33612and33613).Seethemapbelow.

Map2-UptownBoundariesvs.ZipCodes33612&33613

THEMETRICS

Life Expectancy

Averagelifeexpectancyatbirthforthe populationineachgeographicarea.

Theconceptofhealthequityrepresentsa“statein whicheveryonehasafairandjustopportunityto attaintheirhighestlevelofhealth.”Thismeans removingobstaclestohealthandhealthcareand addressing“preventabledi erencesintheburdenof disease,injury,violence,andopportunitiesto achieveoptimalhealth,” -otherwiseknownas healthdisparities.Stakeholdersinthisreportwere interestedinunderstandingifhealthdisparitiesexist thatarespecifictoUptown,asastartingpointfor workingtowardsthegoalofhealthequity.

The2019UACDCsurveyfoundthatthetopthree areasforimprovementforfamilyhealthwereweight loss,mentalhealth,andloweringbloodpressure. Callsto2-1-1formentalhealthservicesareusedto reflectresidents’mentalwell-being.

Lifeexpectancyisusedasonemeasureofhealth equity.Di erencesinthelifeexpectancyofindividualsborninUptowncomparedtotherestofthe regionwouldsuggestthatthereareaspectsabout thecommunityspecificallyimpactingthehealthof residents,eitherpositivelyornegatively.Thisisin linewiththetheoryofthesocialdeterminantsof health(SDoH)whichstatesthathealthistheresultof acombinationoffactorsbeyondsimplymedicine andhealthcare.Healthisalsoimpactedbyneighborhoodfactorssuchaseducationalaccessand quality,foodaccess,economicstability,housing,and socialinclusion.

https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/whatis/index.html

SeetheCDCwebsiteformoreontheSocialDeterminantsofHealth, https://www.cdc.gov/socialdeterminants/about.html

WHAT THE METRIC SAYS ABOUT UPTOWN

Uptownhasthehighestrateof2-1-1callers requestingmentalhealthservicescomparedto theothergeographies.Roughlyoneinfour2-1-1 callsinUptownareprimarilyaboutmentalhealth (25percent).Comparethisto21to23percentof callsintheCityofTampaandHillsborough Countyand12percentintheTampaMSAand StateofFloridaoverall.

Life expectancy for a child born in Uptown is 8 years less than the average life expectancy in Florida, and 5 years less than the overall life expectancy for the City of Tampa

Why these metrics were selected and why they matter

ThissuggeststherearehealthdisparitiespresentinUptownthatimpactpeoples’dailylives.Thisisa complicatedtopictounravel,butthereportdemonstratesthattherearemanymetricswhereUptown residentshaveworseoutcomesthansurroundingareas.Furthermetricswillhighlightdisparitiesinaccess tohealthcare,pedestriansafety,educationalresources,foodaccess,housing,andimpactsfromthecriminal justicesystem.ThisisnotanexhaustivelistoftheSDoH,buttheylikelycontributetothedisparitiesinlife expectancyshowninthechartbelow.

Figure 1 – 2-1-1 Calls for Mental Health Services

2-1-1CountsDashboard,HealthCommunicationResearchLaboratoryatWashingtonUniversityinSt.Louis,allcallsin2021

Figure 2 – Life Expectancy

LifeexpectancyatthecensustractlevelfromtheNationalCenterforHealthStatistics. Averagelifeexpectancyforachildbornintheareabetween2010and2015.

HEALTHCARE ACCESS

Percent of the Population with Health Insurance

Theshareofthepopulationinaregionwith healthinsurance,eitherpublicorprivate.

Health Centers per 10,000 People

Health Professionals per 1,000 People

Healthprofessionalswithaphysicalo iceinthe geography,adjustedtoshowthetotalnumberof professionalsper1,000peopleintheneighborhood/region.

Why these metrics were selected and why they matter

WHAT THE METRIC SAYS ABOUT UPTOWN

Thenumberofhealthcentersinadesignatedgeography,adjustedtoshowonehealthcenterforevery10,000 people.Healthcentersare“community-basedandpatient-directedorganizationsthatdelivercomprehensive, culturallycompetent,high-qualityprimaryhealthcareservicestothenation’smostvulnerableindividualsand families.Healthcentersintegrateaccesstopharmacy,mentalhealth,substanceusedisorder,andoralhealth servicesinareaswhereeconomic,geographic,orculturalbarrierslimitaccesstoa ordablehealthcare.” Healthcentersreceivefederalgrantfundingtoruntheiroperations. XYZ

Thiscollectionofmetricsmeasureshealthcare access,bothfromaninsurancecoveragestandpointandageographicstandpoint,byanalyzing thenumberofo icesanddoctorsinthearea.As theRegionalCompetitivenessReportstates,“a highershareofinsurancecoveragewithina communitycanmanifestinbetterhealthcare outcomesandreducesrelianceonurgent-care facilitiesfornon-emergencymedicalissues.The shareofresidentswithhealthinsurancemay alsobeanindirectindicatorofjobquality withinaregion.”

Additionalresearchonthistopicisneededand hasbeenrequestedbythecommunity.Qualitatively,residentshavesharedtheyhavedi iculty obtaininghealthinsurance,especiallydental insurance.

While88to90percentofthepopulationintheCity ofTampa,HillsboroughCounty,theTampaMSA, andFloridahavehealthinsurance–thisnumber dropsto75percentfortheresidentsofUptown. Turningtolocalsurveys,the2019UACDCreport foundthatonly65percentoftheresidents surveyedhadhealthinsurance.Comparedwith thecomparativelyhighratesofothergeographies, thisrangeisaclearsignthatneighborhood residentsfacesignificantbarrierstofinding healthinsurance.

AmericanCommunitySurvey,20205-yearestimates

However,whileahigherpercentageofresidentsdonothavehealthinsuranceintheUptownneighborhood, Uptownhasasimilarpercapitameasureofdoctorswitho icesintheareacomparedtotheCityofTampa. ExpandingtheUptownboundaryslightlytoincludethehospitalsandhealthcentersacrossBruceB.Downs BoulevardintheanalysiscausesthemetricsondoctorsperresidentinUptowntorisesignificantly.The chartsbelowshowhealthprofessionalsandhealthcenters(whichspecificallyserveunder-resourced populations)perperson.

Uptown residents are 15-25% less likely to have health insurance than elsewhere in the City of Tampa, the County, the region, or the state of Florida.

Figure 3 – Percentage of the Population with Health Insurance

ArcGISanalysisoftheCentersforMedicare&MedicaidServicesDoctorsandCliniciansnationaldatabase,2022

Lookingonlyato iceswithinUptown(thebluedotsentirelyinsidethegreenarea)showsonlyfourhealth professionalsforevery1,000people.However,expandingtheanalysisby0.1milestoincludedoctorsjust acrossthestreetonBruceB.DownsBoulevardcapturesenoughdoctors(bluedotsjustoutsidethegreen area)tosendthenumberofhealthprofessionalsper1,000peopleuptomorethan14–almostinlinewith thevaluefortheCityofTampa,andhigherthanothergeographies.

ArcGISanalysisoftheHealthResourcesandServicesAdministrationhealthcenterlocations,2022

LookingonlyathealthcenterswithinUptown(thebluedotsentirelyinsidethegreenarea)showsonly0.2 healthprofessionalsforevery10,000people.However,expandingtheanalysisby0.5milestoincludethe healthcentersjustoutsideofUptowncapturesenoughcenters(bluedotsjustoutsidethegreenarea)to sendthenumberofhealthcentersper10,000peopleuptomorethan0.87–almostinlinewiththevaluefor theCityofTampa,andhigherthanothergeographies.

Figure 5 - Health Centers, Uptown Detail

Again,thisanalysisrevealssu icient healthcareprovidersintheUptownneighborhood.A ordabilityofhealthcareremains anissue,however.Whilethedoctorsincluded onthemapaboveacceptMedicare,thisdata doesnotreflecthowmanyprofessionalsinthe areaacceptMedicaid,whichahigherpercentageofUptownresidentsuseastheirprimary formofhealthcare.

Thechartonthenextpageprovidesadded contexttothetypesofhealthinsurance Uptownresidentshavecomparedtothe typicalcoverageforresidentsoftheTampa MSA.WhilealmosthalfoftheTampaMSA populationhasemployer-basedhealth insurance,only28percentoftheUptown populationhasthistypeofprivate coverage.Morethanone-thirdofUptown residentshaveMedicaidormeans-tested publiccoverage,comparedto18percentof thetotalpopulation.Individualsrelyingon publiccoveragesuchasMedicaido en experiencebenefitscli s,whereasmall increaseinpaymakesthemineligibleto receivepublicsubsidies,whichinturn,lowers theirnet-monthlyincomedespitearaise. Thiso entrapsindividualsinlow-payingjobs.

1/3

https://fedcommunities.org/benefits-cli

Over 1/3 of Uptown residents have Medicaid or means-tested public coverage compared to 18% of the total population.

Insummary,thedatashowthatalowerpercentageof Uptownresidentshavehealthinsurancewhichexplainsthe highnumberofgovernment-fundedHealthCentersinthe area.Forthosewhodohavehealthinsurancethereisalsoa highpercentageofdoctors’o icesinthesurroundingarea. However,thehighrateofresidentswhorelyonMedicaidfor healthinsurancemeansmanyofthesehealthcareproviders arelikelynotcoveredforUptownresidents.

Benefits cliffs: where a small increase in pay makes them ineligible to receive public subsidies, which in turn, lowers their net-monthly income despite a raise. This often traps individuals in low-paying jobs.

Figure 6 – Health Insurance Coverage by Type

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

Householdsareconsidered cost-burdenedwhentheypay morethan30percentoftheir monthlyincometohousing expenses(includingutilities). Thismeasuresthepercentage ofhouseholdspayingmore than30percentoftheir monthlyincometogrossrent.

Median Gross Rent

Grossrentincludesutilitiesin themonthlycalculation.The medianisthemiddlevalueor middlepersoninadataset. Forthismetric,50percentof renterspaybelowthemedian amount,and50percentpay abovethemedian.

Why these metrics were selected and why they matter

Housinga ordabilitywasanothermajortopicofconcernexpressedby theresidentsoftheUptownneighborhoodduringcommunitymeetings,withaspecificfocusontheincreasingcostofrent.Oneresident notedthatatwo-bedroom,one-bathapartmentthatcosts$1,300a monthtodaymighthavecostaslowas$500amontheightyearsago andthatnewapartmentbuildings,whilenice,aredisplacingcurrent residentsduetorentalrateincreases.Oneresident,amanagerata localrestaurant,notedthateverysta memberatthebusinesslives withsomeoneelse,whetherroommatesortheirparents.Itis“heartbreakingtoseehard-workingpeoplewhocan’tfindaplacetogo.”

ThesesentimentsareconsistentwiththeUACDC’sfindingsfromtheir 2019survey.Mostresidents,79percent,arerenters.Asimilarpercentageofresidentshavetwotosixpeoplelivingintheirhomesbutno morethantwobedrooms(80percentand75percent).

Measurestheabilityofa typicalresidenttopurchasea homeinageographicarea. TheHAIhasabaseof100, representingwherethe medianincomeissu icientto qualifyforaloanonamedian-valuedhomeandnotbe cost-burdened.HAIvalues higherthan100indicate increasinga ordability;HAIvalueslessthan 100indicateareaswhere homesarelessa ordableand medianincomemightbe insu icienttopurchasea median-valuedhome.

75% have 6 people living in their homes, but no more than two bedrooms

79% of Uptown residents rent XYZ

WHAT THE METRIC SAYS ABOUT UPTOWN

Uptownresidentsaremorelikelytoberenters,and rentersinUptownaremorelikelytobecostburdenedthanrentersacrosstherestofthestate. Roughly61percentoftherenterhouseholdsin Uptownarecost-burdenedcomparedto50 percentintherestoftheregion.

Whiletherearemorecost-burdenedrenters, Uptownhasthelowestmedianrentcomparedto othergeographies.Apartmentsarerelatively inexpensiveintheUptownneighborhood.Instead, residents’incomesareimpactingtheirabilityto finda ordablehousing.

Thiscontrastswitha ordabilityforhomeowners.Inthechartbelow,valuesabove 100signalincreasinga ordability.The Uptownneighborhood’svalueof115means homea ordabilityis15percenthigherthan thebaserequiredforthetypicalresidentsto qualifyforaloanonamedian-valuedhome intheareaandnotbecost-burdened.The CityofTampaistheleasta ordable,where a ordabilityisfourpercentlessthanthe baserequiredtoqualifyforamedianhome.

Bothmedianhomepriceandmedian incomeimpactthisvalue.Forcomparison, theratioofmedianincometomedianhome priceintheCityofTampais0.15and0.14in Uptown.Thiscouldbeinterpretedasevery $0.15ofincomeintheCityofTampacan purchase$1.00ofhomevalue.Whilethis showsUptowntobeslightlymorea ordable,itdoesnotexplainthe19-percentage-pointdi erenceintheHAIbetweenthe twogeographies.Thisrequiresmore research,especiallyconsideringthat79 percentofUptownresidentsarerenters.

Akeyissuearisingfromthecommunitymeetingswas thestruggleofapplyingtomoveintoanewapartmentcomplex.Whilethereisnotadatasettoexplore, multipleresidentsinbothcommunitymeetingsnoted thatmostapartmentbuildingsrequireanapplication andacoinciding$25-50applicationfee.These applicationso enincludeabackgroundcheck,and applicantsaredeniediftheyhaveacriminalrecord (thistopicisdiscussedmoreinthesectiononthe populationimpactedbythejusticesystem).Inthe communityfeedbacksessions,manyresidents expressedconcernthattheyspenthundredsof dollarsapplyingtomove,onlytonotmakeit throughthecompetitiveprocess.

~61% of the renter households in Uptown are cost-burdened compared to 50% in the rest of the region.

Figure 7- Cost-burdened Renter Households ESRI,2020

Figure 9 – Housing Affordability Index ESRI,2022

Figure 8 – Median Gross Rent ESRI,2020

FOOD ACCESS

Population with Low Access to Supermarkets – The percentage of the population that lives more than half a mile away from a supermarket in an urban area or 10 miles away from a supermarket in a rural area.

Why these metrics were selected and why they matter

Accesstohealthyanda ordablefoodsisoneof themanysocialdeterminantsofhealthdiscussed earlierinthisreport.Putanotherway,individuals wholivein“fooddeserts,”wherethereareno grocerystoreswithinacertaindistance,aremore likelytoturntoconveniencestoresandjunkfood, whichimpacttheirhealthinthelongterm.

The2019UACDCsurveyfoundthatalmost one-third,32percent,ofthepopulationinUptown faceschallengestryingtoeathealthymeals.The topobstaclestohealthyeatingwere:1)thecostof healthyfood,2)freshfoodexpiresfaster,and3) theydonothavetimetocookfreshmeals.In communitymeetings,oneresidentnotedthat thereis“somuchfastfoodinallthemajor thoroughfares–tryingtofindhealthyfood optionsisdi icult.”

In community meetings, one resident noted that there is “so much fast food in all the major thoroughfares – trying to find healthy food options is di icult.”

32% of the population in Uptown faces challenges trying to eat healthy meals.

WHAT THE METRIC SAYS ABOUT UPTOWN

TheUptownneighborhoodperformsbetter thantheregionandstatefortheshareofthe populationwithaccesstoasupermarket.Only 27percentoftheUptownpopulationlive beyondthehalf-milerange.Meanwhile,on average,halfofthestatepopulationisconsideredlowaccesstoasupermarket,livingeither morethanhalfamileawayinurbanareasor morethan10milesawayinruralareas.

IfUptownhadperformedworsethanthe regionalaverage,thedatatothele mighthavesignifiedafooddesert. However,theconceptoffoodswampsis worthmentioninghere.Foodswamps “areenvironmentssaturatedwith unhealthyfoodsbecauseofthelarge numberofcornerstoresandfast-food outletsinthem.”

Whilethereisnotadatasetmorerecent than2008(releasedin2011)fortheratio ofhealthytounhealthyfoodinaneighborhood,theCDCdidreleaseastudya decadeagoshowingthemodifiedretail foodenvironmentindex(mRFEI)forevery censustractinAmerica.ThemRFEI representsthepercentageoffoodretailersinaneighborhoodthatarehealthycomparedtothetotalnumberof bothhealthyandnon-healthyretailers.

In2011,thatreportincludedthemaptotherightforthe TampaBayarea.TheUptownneighborhoodiscircledin purple.MostofUptownisorange,withsomeyellowtracts, signifyingthat(atleastin2008)intheorangeareasonly0.1 tofivepercentoffoodretailerso eredhealthyfood.

https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2020/20_0029.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/downloads/census-tract-level-state-maps-mrfei_TAG508.pdf

Map 4 – Modified Retail Food Environment Index – Uptown Detail

Map 3 – Modified Retail Food Environment Index, Tampa Area

CDC,CensusTractLevelStateMapsofthe ModifiedRetailFoodEnvironmentIndex(mRFEI),2011

ArcGISanalysisofUnitedStatesDepartment ofAgriculturedata,2019.

Figure 10 – Percentage of the Population with Low Access to Supermarkets

POPULATION IMPACTED BY THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

Why these metrics were selected and why they matter

Duringcommunitymeetingsitbecameclear thatmanyUptownresidentshaveseentheir livesimpactedbythecriminaljusticesystemin someway.Thistopicwaspartofthehousing conversationwhereresidentsnotedthat withouta“banthebox”styleruleforhousing applications,thecurrentsystemallows apartmentcomplexestochargeapplication feestopotentialresidentswhoseapplications willinevitablybedeniedbecauseoftheir criminalrecord.Thisleavesindividualswith littletonochoiceinhousingoptionsandputs theminlivingsituationsthatmayincrease theirlikelihoodofreo ending.

Otherresidentsnotedthatperhapswithmore directionorsupportasateenager,theymay nothaveendedupinprison.

Someresidentsvoicedfrustrationwiththe levelofinvestigativeworkbypoliceinthe neighborhood.Thisalignswiththe2019 UACDCsurveythatfound67percentof residentsreportedpoliceactivelypatrolling theirneighborhood.Still,only61percentof residentsthoughtpolicee ectivelydealtwith crimeintheirneighborhood.

Whilethereisnostandardizedmetricor datasettoestimatehowmanypeopleina givenregionhaveacriminalrecordandrequire re-entryservices,thismetrico ersgenerationaldatashowingthelikelihoodachildbornin theareawillfindthemselvesinjailorprison.

THEMETRIC Child Incarceration Rate

Thepercentageofchildrenwhogrewupintheareawho wereinprisonorjailasofApril1,2010.

What the metric says about Uptown

Thedatashowsthatachildgrowingupin Uptownhasroughlytwotimesthechanceof goingtojailorprisoncomparedtoachild growingupsomewhereelseintheregionorstate. Thedatashowsthatfivepercentofchildrenwho grewupinUptownwereinjailorprisonin2010.

Generationaldatasuchasthisnecessarilyfeels outofdate.Thelifetrajectoriesandoutcomesof childrenborninUptowntoday,oreven10years ago,willnotbeknownfordecades.Whilethis datarepresentsoutcomesforindividualsborn decadesago,coupledwithresidentfeedback,it isastrongindicatoroftwothings.

1)InUptown,anoutsizedportionofadult residentsrequirere-entryservices.

2)Changingthefuturetrajectoryofthe neighborhoodrequiresinvestinginUptown childrenandteenstoday.

Figure 11 – Incarceration Rate of Children Growing up in the Neighborhood / Region

ArcGISanalysisofdatapublishedbyOpportunityInsights.The incarcerationrateforchildrenofanyraceorgenderborninhouseholds ofanyparentincomepercentile,2010.

MOBILITY

This section focuses on how easy it is to get around the Uptown neighborhood and how safe it is for pedestrians.

Workers Commuting by Bus

Thepercentageofworkers(age16or over)whoprimarilytakeabus ortrolleybustowork.

Why

Population that Can Walk to a Bus Stop

Thepercentageofthepopulationineach geographicareawithina10-minutewalk ofaHART(HillsboroughAreaRegional TransitAuthority)busstop.

Buseswereanessentialtopicofconversationfor Uptownresidentsduringcommunitysessions. Residentsrequestedmorefrequentservice,especiallyalongRoute30.Theyalsoexpressedaneedfor morewheelchair-designatedspotsonthebusesand infrastructureenhancementsatbusstops–suchasrain covers.Oneresidentnotedthatthereisplentyofspace onbusesforpeoplewhodonotneedwheelchairs,but ifthetwowheelchairspotsonabusareoccupied,a personisle waitingoutsideforanotherhourbeforea di erentbuscomesbywithavailablewheelchair seating.Multipleresidentsnotedtheyo enfind themselveswaitingintherainforabusand thengettingonthecoldbuswet.

Busserviceimprovementsarealongstandingneed previouslydiscussedbythecommunity.The2019 UACDCsurveyalsoincludedmanybus-specific itemsonawishlistofservices,includinga last-mileshuttlebusthathelpstransport residentsfromtheirhomestobusstops.

WHAT THE METRIC SAYS ABOUT UPTOWN

Together,thesetwometricsshowthatbususe andaccessinUptownisextremelyhigh.Uptown residentscommutebybusataratealmostsix timeshigherthantheCity ofTampa residents.Animpressive 100percentof Uptownresidentsare withina 10-minutewalkofat leastonestop, comparedto70percent ofthe populationintheCity ofTampa.

these metrics were selected and why they matter

Whilethesemetricsdonotshowthepercentageofresidentswhorequireadditionalservicesonbuses, suchaswheelchairspots,orthequalityofbusstopinfrastructure,theypointtothemoresignificant takeawaythatresidents’concernsandsuggestionsshouldbetakenseriously.Thesearenotnice-to-have improvementsnotedonawhim;theyareconcernsfromademographicgroupthatreliesonbustransitat muchhigherratesthantherestofthecommunity.

Figure 13 – Population Within a 10-minute Walk to a Bus Stop

ArcGISanalysisofthepopulation withina10-minutewalkfromaHART busstop.Busstoplocationssourced fromHillsboroughCountyGIS Department.Busstopsfrom2021, populationdatafrom2022.

Figure 12 – Workers Commuting by Bus

PEDESTRIAN SAFETY & WALKABILITY

Pedestrian and Bicyclist Fatalities

Thenumberofpedestrian andcyclistdeathsinthe neighborhoodforevery10,000 people.Anannualaveragebased onfiveyearsofdatafrom2016 through2020.

Why these metrics were selected and why they matter

Pedestriansafetywasoneofthetoptopicsofconversation atthetwocommunityfeedbacksessions.Low-income neighborhoodso enhavehigherratesofpedestriandeaths becauseofthepoorconditionofroadways,sidewalks,and infrastructure,inadditiontoahigherpercentageofindividuals whowalkorbicycleasamajorformoftransportation.Smart GrowthAmerica’sannualDangerousbyDesignreportfrom 2020foundthat“olderadultsandpeoplewalkinginlow-incomeneighborhoodswerestruckandkilledatmuchhigher ratesthanotherpopulationsin2020,aswithpastyears.” Thisintersectswithracialdemographics:"peopleofcolor, particularlyNativeandBlackAmericans,aremorelikely todiewhilewalkingthananyotherraceofethnicgroup.”

Oneresidentatthecommunityfeedbacksessionsnotedthat theyhadjustpurchasedacar.Beforethat,theywerebusing andbikingeverywhereandhadbeenhitbyacarwhile ontheirbike.

WHAT THE METRIC SAYS ABOUT UPTOWN

Thedatashowsthattherateof pedestriandeathsinUptownishigher thaninanyothergeographystudied.It ismorethantwicethefatalityratethan inHillsboroughCounty,theTampaMSA, orevenallofFlorida.Forevery10,000 peopleinUptown,roughlyone pedestrianorbicyclistdiesyearlyfroma car-relatedaccident.InUptown,alarge percentageoftheaccidents(nineoutof 23)overthelastfiveyearshappenedon FowlerAvenue,includingthedeathofa 15-year-oldboyonabicyclein2018. https://smartgrowthamerica.org/dangerous-by-design/

ArcGISanalysisofaccidentdatafromtheNationalHighwayTra icSafetyAdministration. Accidentdataforthefiveyearsfrom2016to2020.Populationdatafrom2022.

Figure 14 – Pedestrian and Bicyclist Fatalities per Year

In Uptown, a large percentage of the accidents (nine out of 23) over the last five years happened on Fowler Avenue

TALENT

This section focuses entirely on inputs and outcomes in the K-12 system rather than the capabilities of the Uptown workforce. See the economic vitality section for a discussion on higher education outcomes and how they intersect with employment prospects.

High School Graduation Rate

Thepercentageofstudentsina singleenrollmentcohort(orclass) graduatingfromhighschoolin fouryears.

School Expenditures per Pupil

School-levelexpendituresperstudent,includinglocal, state,andfederalfundingsources.Expendituresinclude costsfortheday-to-dayoperationsofschools,including, butnotlimitedto,expendituresforinstruction,administration,instructionalsupport,andoperation andmaintenance.

Households with an Internet Subscription

Thepercentageofhouseholdsinaregionwithaninternet subscription,includingdial-up,broadband,satellite,or anotherinternetsubscription.

Communityconversationsrevealedthatresidents caredeeplyaboutwheretheirchildrenaregoingto school,iftheyaregraduatingpreparedforcollege, andiftheyreceivethesamequalityofinstruction asotherstudentsacrosstheregion.Teachersper 100studentsandschoolexpendituresperstudent showdi erencesindedicatedresourcesforevery studentcomparedtotherestoftheregion.

Highschoolgraduationrates,focusingonrecent changesovertime,showwhichstudentsmay struggletomeetthebasicrequirementsofhigh schoolgraduation.

Thepercentageofhouseholdswithaninternet subscriptionshowsthatitisimportantnotto assumeeveryfamilyhasthesameaccesstothe internet.Internetaccesswasespeciallyimportant asK-12educationtransitionedtoonlinelearning duringtheCovid-19pandemic.Anydisparitiesin thismetricsuggestthatcertainstudentsface greaterstrugglesjusttoparticipateinonline learning.

FreedomHighSchool,WhartonHighSchool,and ChamberlainHighSchoolwereselectedto representtheoutcomesforstudentslivingin Uptown.Justover94percentofthepopulation aged15-19inUptownliveinthezoningareafor FreedomHighSchoolandWhartonHighSchool, splitalmostequallybetweenthetwoschools.A smallportionofthepopulationlivesinthezoning areaforChamberlainHighSchool,whichwas includedintheanalysisbasedonstakeholder interest.Collectively,theseschoolsarereferredto inthisreportasUptownhighschools.Gaither HighSchoolzoningalsocoversaportionof Uptown,andthisschoolisnotincludedinthe analysisbelow.

Seethezoningmap(Map5)belowformoredetail.

Why these metrics were selected and why they matter

Map 5- Hillsborough County Public High School

Zones in Uptown Neighborhood

WHAT THE METRIC SAYS ABOUT UPTOWN

AllthreeUptownhighschoolshaveasmaller teacher-to-studentratiothantheHillsborough Countyaverageandtherestofthestate.Freedom HighSchoolandWhartonHighSchoolhavethe loweststa inglevel,withonlyfourtofiveteachers forevery100students.ChamberlainHighSchool stilldoesnotmatchtheCountybenchmark,butit comescloserwithfivetosixteachersforevery100 students.

Sta inglevelsthenimpactthenumberofdollars allocatedtoeachstudentintheschool.Expectedly, FreedomHighSchoolandWhartonHighSchool spendfewerdollarsperstudentthantherestofthe countyorstate,giventhesmallerteachercounts. However,despitehavinglowersta inglevels, ChamberlainHighSchoolhasahigherallocationof fundsforeachstudentcomparedtotheCounty. Thismainlycomesthroughviafederalinvestment. ChamberlainHighSchoolhasthemostconsiderableamountoffederalspendingperstudentinthe region.

Theserelationshipsflipwhenexamininghigh schoolgraduationrates.FreedomHighSchool andWhartonHighSchool,despitefewer teachersandlessfunding,havesomeofthe highestgraduationratesintheregion.ChamberlainHighhasthelowestbyafarmargin.

Thisrelationshipmaybeexplainedbythefact thattheStateclassifiesahigherpercentageof ChamberlainHighSchoolstudentsaseconomicallydisadvantaged,78percent,comparedto 61percentatFreedomHighSchooland51 percentatWhartonHighSchool.Economically disadvantagedstudentsfacedmoresignificant challengesduringthepandemic.Trenddata clearlyshowsthatthesestudentsatChamberlainHighSchoolfacedchallenges,giventhat thegraduationratedroppedfrom86percent to78percentinayear.

Figure 15 – Teachers per 100 Students

FloridaDepartmentofEducation,2020-21academicyear

Figure 16 – Expenditures per Student

FloridaDepartmentofEducation,2020-21academicyear

Thedataabovealsoshowsthatgraduationrateshavebeenrisingsteadilyacrosstheregionsince2016. However,residentsexpressedconcernthatstudentsaregraduatingwhentheyarenottrulyready.Asone Uptownresidentandaformerteachernoted,the“systempushedkidsthroughbecausethereispressureon schoolsforfundingtohave‘successful’kids.”Itisimpossibletosaybasedonthisdatawhetherthestudents graduatingfromUptownhighschoolsarepreparedforaneducationbeyondhighschool.However,thedata doesdefinitivelyshowthatthetwoschoolsmainlyservingUptownstudents,FreedomandWhartonHigh School,havefewerteachersperstudentandfewerdollarsallocatedtothem.

Finally,analysisofinternetaccessrates showsthatstudentsinUptownwerelikely atamoresignificantdisadvantagefor transitiontoonlinelearningin2020. HillsboroughCountyhasthehighestratesof householdswithsometypeofhome-internetsubscription(thisdoesnotincludesmartphones) atalmost90percent.InUptown,only78 percentofhouseholdshaveaninternet subscriptionfortheirhome.Thegap betweenhouseholdswithandwithout internetisknownasthedigitaldivide.

Thedatashowsthatevenin2022,internet accessisnotuniversalacrossthecountry. Typicallyconsideredaruralvs.urbanissue, ruralhomeownersstruggleaccessingthe internetwhereprovidersdonotseethe economicreturnsofrunningbroadband serviceinareaswithsmallpopulations.In urbanareas,however,alackofinternet accessusuallycomesdowntocostfactors ashouseholdsmakedi icultdecisions aboutmonthlybills.

ThishasimplicationsforUptownstudents andallresidentswhousetheinternetto applyforajob,housing,andattendcollege.

78% of households in Uptown have an internet subscription for their home.

Figure 19 – Households with an Internet Subscription

USCensusBureau,AmericanCommunitySurvey,20205-yearestimates, accessedthroughESRI

Figure 17 – High School Graduation Rate

FloridaDepartmentofEducation,2020-21academicyear

Figure 18 – High School Graduation Trend, Economically Disadvantaged Students

FloridaDepartmentofEducation

ECONOMIC VITALITY

This section focuses on the job opportunities available to Uptown residents and how integrated residents are in the economic system.

Employment

Unemployment Rate

Thepercentageofpeopleactively seekingajobbutcannotfindone.

Educational Attainment, Two-Year Degrees or Higher

Thepercentageoftheadult population(age25+)thathas receivedanassociatedegree, bachelor’sdegree,ordoctorate /professionaldegree.

Share of Jobs in Service Roles or Industry

Thepercentageofoccupationsin theregioninfoodservicerolesand thepercentageoftotalemploymentintheaccommodationand foodserviceindustry(referredto asthehospitalityindustryinthe remainderofthisreport).

20%

Workers Traveling More than 25 Miles to Work

Thepercentageofworkers whotravelmorethan25 milesfromwheretheylive towheretheywork.

of Uptown residents have at least a two-year degree, compared to more than 40% of the population in other parts of the region.

Why these metrics were selected and why they matter

Thesemetricsrevealtheeconomicoutcomesfor Uptownresidents.Theypaintastoryabouthow di icultitistofindajobpayingfamily-sustaining wages,especiallyforresidentswithoutacollege degree.Infeedbacksessions,residentsnotedthat wagesgoupwitheducationanddegreestatus,but theyarenotbeinghiredbecausetheydonotmeet thequalificationssetbyemployers.Entry-leveljobs mightstillrequireyearsofexperienceinjobposts, butUptownresidentsdonothavetheluxuryof takingtimetogetunpaidexperienceinafield becausetheyneedtopaytheirbills.

What the metrics say about Uptown

UnemploymentinUptownisalmosttwiceas highasanyothergeographystudied.Itis importanttonotewhatthismetrictruly measures.Theunemploymentratemeasuresthe percentageofpeopleinthelabormarketwho havesearchedforworkinthepasttwoweeks butcannotfindajob.Ifsomeoneweretostop lookingforajob,suchasastay-at-homeparent, theywouldnolongerbeconsideredpartofthe labormarketandwouldnotbecountedinthis statistic.Thismeanseightpercentoftheworkers inUptownwhowantajobcannotfindone.

8% of the workers in Uptown who want a job cannot find one.

Unemployment in Uptown is almost twice as high as any other geography studied.

Oneexplanationforwhysomeresidentscannotfind workisthesmallshareofthepopulationwithatleast atwo-yeardegree.OnlyoneinfiveUptownresidents hasatleastatwo-yeardegree,comparedtomore than40percentofthepopulationinotherpartsof theregion.Thiscomesintoplayeconomicallywhen employersrequireformalcredentialsonjobapplicationsanddonotconsidersomeoneforajobifthey lackacollegedegree.Thisisanimportantnuance. Thisindicatorshouldnotbeinterpretedtomeanthat Uptownresidentslacktheknowledgeandabilitiesto performajob.Instead,itshowsthatUptown residentsfacehigherbarrierstomakingitthroughan employer’sscreeningprocesswhenemployersuse educationalcredentialsasaproxyforskillson jobpostings.

Ahigherpercentageofthejobsavailableto Uptownresidentsaretypicallylow-payingroles inthehospitalityindustry.Uptownhasahigher rateofhospitalityoccupations,suchas fast-foodcooksandservers,andoverall employmentinthehospitalityindustry,such ashotelsandrestaurants,comparedtoother geographies.Thisisanecessarydistinction because,forexample,employmentfora generalmanageratahotelwouldbeincluded inindustrycountsbutnotincountsoffood servicejobs.Together,thisdatashowsthatthe positionsimmediatelyavailabletoUptown residentsarelikelytobefoodservicejobsin thefoodserviceindustry.

Rolledtogether,Uptownresidents’di icultyfinding

Themapsonthenextpageshowclusterswhere

Figure 23 – Distance to Work from Home

USCensusBureau,OntheMap,2019,distance/destination analysisforallprimaryjobsfromaperson’shomecensus tracttotheirworkcensustract

Figure 22 – Share of Jobs in Service Roles or Industry ESRI,2020

Figure 20 – Unemployment Rate

Figure 21 – Population Age 25+ with a Two-Year Degree or Higher

ESRI,2022 ESRI,2022

Uptown residents face higher barriers to making it through an employer’s screening process when employers use educational credentials as a proxy for skills on job postings.

Map 6 – Uptown Resident Employment Locations

Map 7 – Uptown Resident Employment Locations, Detailed

INCOME

Median Household Income

Totalannualhouseholdincomeforallearners inahouseholdage15+.Halfofthehouseholds intheareawillhaveanincomehigherthanthe median,andhalfwillhaveanincomelower thanthemedian.

Median Net Worth

Totalhouseholdassets,suchaspropertyand investments,minusanyunsecureddebt,suchas medicalbills,studentloans,orcreditcarddebt (secureddebtincludesmortgages,homeequity loans,andautoloans).Halfthehouseholdswill haveanetworthhigherthanthemedian,andhalf willhaveanetworthlowerthanthemedian.

Why these metrics were selected and why they matter

WHAT THE METRIC SAYS ABOUT UPTOWN

ThesemetricssolidifyunderstandingofUptown’s economicposition.Whileresidentsdidnotspecificallymentiontheirassetsorthetotalincomesthey bringhome,conversationsclearlyshowedthat Uptownresidentsweighfinancialchoicesdaily. Choicesrangefromhowmuchhealthcoverage theycana ordfortheirchildrentohowmany applic-ationstheycana ordtoputinasthey searchforanapartment.

Householdincomeisanoverarchingindicatorof therelativeprosperityofacommunity,itsbuying power,anditsrelianceonthesocialsafetynet. Mediannetworthprovidesanotherwaytoviewthe financialhealthofthepopulationoutsideofwage income.Themainfactorsthatimpactmediannet wortharethevalueofrealestateheld,theamount ofsavings,andtheaccumulationofdebt.

HouseholdincomeinUptownishalfofwhat itisintherestoftheregion.Themedian incomeis$32,000annually,meaninghalfof Uptownresidentsbringhomelessthanthis amount.

Figure 24 – Median Household Income

Thedivideisstarkerlookingatthemediannetworthfortheregion.Subtractingdebtsfromassets,the mediannetworthforUptownresidentsisonly$11,100whilethemediannetworthforallFloridaresidents is$159,700.GiventhatmostUptownresidentsarerentersandpropertyholdingsgreatlyinfluencethisvalue, itisnotsurprisingtoseethatUptownresidentshavealow,mediannetworth.However,therangefrom UptowntotheCityofTampaandbeyondissurprising.Metricssuchasthisimplicatethechallengesof escapingintergenerationalpoverty.

$11,100

median net worth for Uptown residents

$159,700

median net worth for all Florida residents

Figure 25 – Median Net Worth

ESRI,2022

OUTCOMES

Outcomes measures highlight the culminating impacts of disparities in civic quality, mobility, investment in talent, and economic vitality. These are complicated, interconnected systems that, taken together, have substantial e ects on the prosperity of Uptown residents.

THEMETRICS

Households Below the Poverty Level

Thepercentageofhouseholds livingbelowthefederalpoverty level,definedbytheU.S. CensusBureau.

Population with Income Below the Poverty Level

Thepercentofthepopulation livingbelowthefederalpoverty levelwhoalsohadincomeinthe previous12months.

Why these metrics were selected and why they matter

Povertymetricsareo enunderstoodtobean insu icientmeansofdescribingthepercentageof thepopulationthatisstrugglinginanarea.Counts ofALICEhouseholdsgeneratedbytheUnitedWay aremorecomprehensiveandcreateatruepicture ofwhatitisliketolivepaychecktopaycheck. However,povertymetricso ertheabilityto comparegeographies,largeandsmall, consistentlyovertime.Peoplewholiveinpoverty arestrugglingtosecurebasichumanneedsand requirehigherlevelsofsocialsupport.Increasing levelsofpovertymaytranslateintogreater communityneedsregardinghomelessness, crime,illiteracy,andhealth.

Thislistofpovertymetricswaschosentodemonstratethateventhoseparticipatingintheeconomyhavedi icultyescapingpoverty.Inaddition, surveyresultsfromtheUACDCshowedthat44 percentofwomeninUptownaresinglemothers and29percentofmenaresinglefathers.

Female Householder Poverty Rate

Thepercentageofhouseholds headedbywomenbelowthe federalpovertylevel,definedby theU.S.CensusBureau.

KnowingwhetherUptownhasarelativelyhigh percentageofsinglemotherslivingbelowthe povertylevelinformsthetypesofservicesthat shouldbecreatedorprovided.

Otherresidentsnotedthatperhapswithmore directionorsupportasateenager,theymaynot haveendedupinprison.

Someresidentsvoicedfrustrationwiththelevelof investigativeworkbypoliceintheneighborhood. Thisalignswiththe2019UACDCsurveythatfound 67percentofresidentsreportedpoliceactively patrollingtheirneighborhood.Still,only61 percentofresidentsthoughtpolicee ectively dealtwithcrimeintheirneighborhood.

Whilethereisnostandardizedmetricordatasetto estimatehowmanypeopleinagivenregionhave acriminalrecordandrequirere-entryservices, thismetrico ersgenerationaldatashowingthe likelihoodachildbornintheareawillfind themselvesinjailorprison.

What the metric says about Uptown

Thislistofmetricscanbecombinedintoonevisual, highlightingtheunsurprisingfactthatahigher percentageoftheUptownpopulationisstrugglingto escapepoverty.Workerswithjobsfacesimilar povertylevelsastheoverallshareofhouseholds,not onlyinUptownbutacrossthestate.

Themediumbluebar,showingthe percentageofhouseholdsheadedbywomen (interpretedassingle-motherhouseholds) livinginpoverty,isevenhigherinUptown andtheCityofTampacomparedtotherest oftheState.Singlemothersaremorelikely togenerateincomesbelowthefederal povertylevel.Thisdatashowsaneven higherpercentageofmothersinUptown facesignificantchallengesinproviding fortheirfamilies.

Figure 26 – Households or People Living in Poverty

USCensusBureau, AmericanCommunity Survey,20205-year estimates,accessed throughESRI

CONCLUSION

The table below summarizes these findings in two categories: community assets and gaps. Some surprising results include the high number of health professionals in the area and better a ordability for homeowners. However, the corresponding gaps make it di icult for residents to take advantage of these assets. For example, a lower percentage of the Uptown population has health insurance. For those with health insurance, many rely on Medicaid, which makes more doctors’ o ices unreachable despite a relatively high number in the area.

TOPIC COMMUNITY ASSETS COMMUNITY GAPS

Boxeswithnoassetsidentifiedmeantheanalysisinthisreportdidnotrevealacommunityasset.Assetsmayexistthatwerenotstudiedhere.

Table 1 – Summary of Findings

Thechallengeslistedaboveculminateinahigher povertyrateintheregion,evenforworking residentsandespeciallyforsinglemothers.

Thesefindingsnowsetthestageforcommunitygoalsetting.Thegapsmayseeminsur-mountablewhentakentogether,however,translating opaquepercentagesintoabsolutenumbers revealsamoremanageablesetofmetrics.The percentageofthepopulationwithhealthinsuranceisastrongexample.

Currently,75percentoftheUptownpopulation hashealthinsurance.TobringthattotalpercentagetothesamelevelastheCityofTampa,agoal of90percent,approximately6,500morepeople inUptownneedhealthinsurance.

Anincreaseof6,500peoplewilltaketimeto achieve.However,ifleaderscanallocateresourcesovertime,itiseasiertoimaginethatcommunityleadersmightusethisnumbertosetafiveor 10-yeargoal.

Ofcourse,sometopicsstillneedadatasetto analyzeandbenchmark.Informationsuchasthe amountofmoneyresidentsputtowardsrental applicationfeesorthenumberofpeopleinthe neighborhoodwhowerepreviouslyincarcerated willneedtocomefromcommunitypartnerswhosurveyresidentsandinteract withthemdaily.Thesearetheintermediaries whoknowthecommunitybestandknowwhat servicesaremostneeded.

Inshort,thisreportshouldbeusedfor communityadvocacyandgoalsettingwhere appropriateandalwaysinconjunctionwiththe resident'svoiceattheforefront.Thankyouto communitypartnersincludingtheFloridaBlue Foundation,UniversityAreaCommunityDevelopmentCorporation,UnitedWaySuncoast,and SoaringCityInnovationPartnership,whomade uncovering thesefindingspossible. Formoreinformation,pleasecontactShannonKalahar,SeniorDirectorofStrategicCommunications,attheTampaBayPartnership. Email:skalahar@tampabay.org,Phone:813-872-2807

Figure 27 – Goal Setting Example

Research conducted by Phoebe Fleming with Fleming Insights