Community Perspectives: Extreme Heat Perceptions, Preparedness, and Solutions in Chicago, Illinois

Extreme heat events disproportionately impact low-income individuals and households that have higher rates of exposure to heat. Chicago’s low-income communities are at particular risk from heat since research shows that places with historically colder climates like Chicago face greater health risks from rising temperatures. Chicago’s prevalence of central air conditioning is much lower than the national rate, their residential buildings were designed to retain heat, and the population is less acclimatized and prepared for extreme heat. In this presentation, we will discuss results from recent interviews with residents of a neighborhood in Chicago that has been historically marginalized and is classified as an environmental justice community. Through interviews with community members, we identified key concerns and challenges related to indoor heat. Our qualitative results highlight heat perceptions and beliefs, heat-health relationships, and capacities to respond to increasingly high temperatures. We seek to uplift and support community members’ immediate and long-term solutions and ideas for mitigating and responding to extreme heat. To conclude, we will discuss the implications of these findings for building resilience and managing heat risk in Chicago.