Algorithmic prioritization systems for homeless services must have human oversight
Homelessness is a significant and growing crisis in the United States. In an effort to more efficiently and fairly distribute limited housing resources, jurisdictions across the US have adopted algorithmic prioritization systems to help select which unhoused people should receive resources. Given the impact of algorithmic prioritization on the lives of unhoused people, there is a need to more fully examine how these systems are implemented in practice by frontline workers such as social service workers.
This memo is based on the research in Intermediation: Algorithmic Prioritization in Practice in Homeless Services by Pelle Tracey and Patricia Garcia, https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3686951
