Governments are increasingly using technology to allocate scarce social service resources, like housing services. In collaboration with Alameda County’s Continuum of Care, this project will use qualitative research methods (i.e. interviews, participatory design, and usability testing) to conduct a needs assessment and system recommendation around “matching” unhoused people to appropriate services. The goal is to identify matching systems that suit the needs of diverse housing service providers across the county without compromising the needs and personal information of vulnerable populations. In addition to efficiency, the researchers will consider how systems handle values such as privacy, security, autonomy, and resiliency.
