Projects
Our archive of recent projects demonstrates our ability to create unique solutions for our partners. If you see something you would like to adapt for your community, contact us.
Putting a Data Dashboard to Work for Greenville’s Transit System
Greenville County’s transit system provides 750,000 rides a year—workers, students, and residents who depend on it to reach jobs, healthcare, and opportunity. A custom dashboard built by the Shi Institute is giving advocates the data and tools they need to make the case for a stronger, more connected county.
Extreme Heat Is a Health Crisis. The Hard Part Is Knowing Exactly Where
South Carolina already endures about 15 days a year above 95°F—and that number is expected to grow dramatically. Extreme heat kills, worsens chronic illness, and strains communities in ways that vary dramatically from block to block. The Shi Institute is helping municipalities see exactly where the threat is greatest, and act on it.
What Will the Upstate Look Like in 2100? We Have a Choice.
The natural spaces that define our region could vanish within decades – or they could thrive for generations. Our modeling reveals how smart decisions today can preserve the Upstate for future generations.
Protecting Spartanburg’s Northside Neighborhood from Displacement
Rising property values in Spartanburg’s Northside neighborhood bring both opportunities and risks. Our research reveals how strategic interventions can preserve community stability while residents benefit from increased equity.
Preserving the Farms That Define Our Communities
South Carolina stands to lose 586,000 acres of farmland by 2036. That’s 67 acres disappearing every single day. Shi’s mapping tools can help change this trajectory.
What Does “Affordable” Actually Mean? A Data-Driven Approach.
Cities debate housing supply a lot. But the data suggest the deeper problem is wages. When most Black households earn far below the area median, a supply-side solution is unlikely to close the gap. Our interactive tool makes that visible.
Protecting Sterling’s Community Character Amid Intense Market Pressure
Sterling sits in one of Greenville’s fastest-growing real estate markets, where community leaders’ foresight in acquiring key properties years ago now provides crucial protection against displacement pressures.
Racial Displacement in Greenville, SC
Greenville’s revitalization has been a genuine success story—for many. But in the historically Black neighborhoods that ring the urban core, three decades of data tell a more complicated story. The Shi Institute and Furman University measured what’s been happening, block by block.