AI program helps fight homelessness

The city of Los Angeles, California, uses artificial intelligence to combat an unlikely foe: homelessness. The University of California’s Los Angeles California Policy Lab (CPL) created an AI tool that detects people likely to lose their houses. Then, the program makes payments or offers gift cards to ensure they keep their homes.

Many doubt artificial intelligence is a force for good because it often tackles problems limited to cyberspace. Yet, the University of California’s AI project proves that this technology can help people meet essential needs. Everyone should learn more about such projects to encourage other tech companies to help make a positive impact with artificial intelligence.

This article will discuss how the AI homelessness prediction tool works. Then, I will share opinions and criticisms regarding this public service technology.

How does the AI homelessness program work?

Canada’s CBC Radio was one of the first to cover California’s unique way of fighting homelessness. It also explained how the tool was made by the University of California, Los Angeles’ California Policy Lab (CPL).

It analyzes over 400 types of records, including emergency room visits, receipts of public benefits, arrests, and other interactions with local systems. Then, the CPL algorithm accurately predicts who is at risk for homelessness within the next 12 months.

Moreover, homelessness prevention project personnel receive a list of medical records every three months. They initially keep them anonymous and then match them with corresponding individuals.

That allows staff to cold call them. Dana Vanderford, the associate director of homelessness prevention with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, admits these records should be private and personal.

Yet, Vanderford said they must use this data to help find those who may lose their houses. She says many don’t reach out to the many referral support programs in Los Angeles because they don’t know where to start.

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Some don’t realize the risk of their living situation. Also, the associate director explained, “We have clients who have understandable mistrust of systems. [They] experienced generational trauma. Our clients are extremely unlikely to reach out for help.”

Vanderford and her colleagues have aided 560 residents by cold calling those identified by the CPL algorithm. “I believe deeply that there’s a need for targeted prevention programming,” Vanderford stated. “Without the ability to use AI, we don’t have a good shot at targeting these resources to those who need them most.”

The homelessness prevention program provides individual clients $4,000 or $6,000 of support, while families get $6,000 or $8,000 US plus additional funds, depending on the number of people in the household.

What are the flaws of the AI homelessness program?

Janey Rountree is the executive director of the California Policy Lab that created the AI homelessness program. However, she said we must see whether it reduces the number of homeless people to confirm its effectiveness.

“For example, here in Los Angeles, you might have 2 million people on public assistance, all of whom seem vulnerable. But only 1% to 2% of them will ever experience homelessness,” Rountree told NPR.

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The CPL algorithm is undergoing a long-term study at the time of writing. Rountree said initial results are positive. Those who went through the prevention program had fewer people experiencing homelessness than those who didn’t.

Nevertheless, experts said we need checks and balances when using artificial intelligence to solve social problems. Eyra Abraham, founder of the Toronto-based AI tech firm Lisnen, stated an AI algorithm must update constantly and train on accurate data.

We must also feed it location-specific data to work properly. “You’re going to need to retrain [the algorithm] to reflect those communities,” said Abraham.

Conclusion

The California Policy Lab has been using its AI homelessness program to help people keep a roof over their heads. Initial results are positive, but it needs further testing and research to verify effectiveness.

Nevertheless, Dana Vanderford believes artificial intelligence is a powerful tool for solving this social problem. “I believe deeply that there’s a need for targeted prevention programming,” she said.”

“Without the ability to use AI, we don’t have a good shot at targeting these resources to those who need them the most,” Vanderford added. Learn more about the latest digital tips and trends at Inquirer Tech.