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The Conversation
The Conversation
Pelle G. Tracey, Assistant Professor of Information, University of Washington

Automated systems decide which homeless Philadelphians get housing and who stays on the street – often in ways that feel arbitrary to those waiting

Philadelphia has thousands of homeless residents living in shelters and on the streets. Jeff Fusco/The Conversation U.S., CC BY-SA

Seeing a person huddled under a makeshift roof of tarps or curled up on a warm grate can evoke powerful emotions and questions.

How did they get here? Why doesn’t someone help them? What can I do about this?

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