User Conference 2003 - Special Achievement in GIS

Back to SAG Winners 2003

University of Delaware, Water Resources Agency

Using ArcGIS and its extensions, we used geographic overlay capabilities to perform an affordable housing suitability analysis in Kent and Sussex Counties, Delaware.

Learn more about us

View larger image

Business Problem

The Delaware Rural Housing Consortium (DRHC)consists of seven non-profit housing development organizations that operate throughout rural Delaware and seek to provide affordable housing for lower income families in the state. The Consortium (DRHC) was completing its current three year plan (2000-2002) and was beginning work on its next three year plan (2003-2005). MAK Associates, consultant to DRHC, approached us to investigate the use of GIS in this process.

We explained the concept of geographic overlay analysis and suggested creating a suitability model to locate areas with potential for the development of affordable housing. The Consortium felt that the results of such an exercise could be used to identify, or more closely pinpoint, areas that should receive additional evaluation. Because the results could be shown on a map and areas easily identified, it would negate the need to pore over pages of figures in attempt to locate such areas.

Technology Implemented

For the project, we used ArcGIS and Arc Spatial Analyst running under Windows XP to perform the overlay analyses. ArcPublisher and Arc Reader were used for presentation and discussion of the results.

Development Team Biography

Vern Svatos is a GIS Manager at the University of Delaware. He first worked with GIS in the 1970s when ESRI implemented a grid system in New Castle County, Delaware. Feeling there was no future in GIS, he left in 1980 only to return to the field as a believer in 1994.

Jarrod Doucette graduated from the University in 2002 with a B.S. in geology and a minor in GIS. He was awarded an assistantship for the ESRI 2002 User Conference. He joined the Institute upon his return. He will pursue further GIS studies in graduate school this fall.

View larger image