Public housing algorithms audit
It is a clone of this request.
| Submitted | March 13, 2023 |
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Communications
From: Todd Feathers
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records regarding algorithmic tools used by your agency to guide decision making:
For the purposes of this request, the term algorithmic tools refers to computer software or code that employs machine learning techniques. It does not apply to other types of algorithms, such as Excel formulas.
My request applies to all algorithmic tools developed in-house by your agency, purchased for use by your agency, or otherwise used by your agency since Jan. 1, 2018. Such algorithmic tools include, but are not limited to, models for:
- Tenant screening
- Fraud detection
- Risk scoring
- Rate setting (e.g. for rent, utilities, or other fees)
- Maintenance/repair/budget allocation
- Investigations (e.g., crime hotspot prediction, facial recognition, complaint prioritization)
- Unit/voucher prioritization (e.g. models used to rank potential tenants or match them with available units)
- Advertising/outreach prioritization (e.g. models used to decide where or to which groups to advertise)
For each algorithmic tool your agency has used since Jan. 1, 2018, I request the following records:
1) Executive summaries, project overviews, or comparable records that describe the scope and purpose of the algorithmic tool.
2) Contracts, statements of work, successful RFP submissions and bid packets, or comparable records that describe the purchase and/or construction of the algorithmic tool.
3) User handbooks, guides, training manuals, agency policies, or comparable records that describe the tool’s functions and its appropriate uses.
4) The data dictionary, data library, or comparable document that defines the data fields used by the algorithmic tool.
I ask that all fees be waived as I am a journalist and intend to use the requested records to publish articles in the public interest. In the event you choose to impose fees, I request a detailed breakdown of the fees, including the hourly wage of the lowest-paid employee capable of processing the request and an explanation justifying the employee hours required to complete the request.
Should you choose to reject this request or redact portions of it, I ask that you provide a detailed breakdown of the statutory exemptions and associated case law underlying your decision to withhold each/any portion from public review.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Todd Feathers
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Illinois Freedom of Information Act. request, copied below, and originally submitted on March 13, 2023. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Chicago Housing Authority
Good afternoon,
We are working on your request and were required to utilize a five business day extension. We expect to issue you a response to your request on or before March 28.
Sincerely,
Nathaniel Tortora
FOIA Office
Chicago Housing Authority
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following Illinois Freedom of Information Act. request, copied below, and originally submitted on March 13, 2023. You had previously indicated that it would be completed on March 28, 2023. I wanted to check on the status of my request, and to see if there was a new estimated completion date.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Chicago Housing Authority
Dear Mr. Feathers,
This email is concerning your FOIA request in which you asked CHA for:
My request applies to all algorithmic tools developed in-house by your agency, purchased for use by your agency, or otherwise used by your agency since Jan. 1, 2018. Such algorithmic tools include, but are not limited to, models for:
- Tenant screening
- Fraud detection
- Risk scoring
- Rate setting (e.g. for rent, utilities, or other fees)
- Maintenance/repair/budget allocation
- Investigations (e.g., crime hotspot prediction, facial recognition, complaint prioritization)
- Unit/voucher prioritization (e.g. models used to rank potential tenants or match them with available units)
- Advertising/outreach prioritization (e.g. models used to decide where or to which groups to advertise)
For each algorithmic tool your agency has used since Jan. 1, 2018, I request the following records:
1) Executive summaries, project overviews, or comparable records that describe the scope and purpose of the algorithmic tool.
2) Contracts, statements of work, successful RFP submissions and bid packets, or comparable records that describe the purchase and/or construction of the algorithmic tool.
3) User handbooks, guides, training manuals, agency policies, or comparable records that describe the tool's functions and its appropriate uses.
4) The data dictionary, data library, or comparable document that defines the data fields used by the algorithmic tool.
Your request has been granted and the responsive records can be accessed here: https://we.tl/t-CJsv2F6JSC
Please note, within CHA's responsive records redactions have been applied pursuant to 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(b), exempting the release of private information contained within public records, as defined by 5 ILCS 140/2(c-5). Additionally, CHA has applied redactions pursuant to 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(g) which allows for a public body to withhold, "Trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person or business where the trade secrets or commercial or financial information are furnished under a claim that they are proprietary, privileged, or confidential, and that disclosure of the trade secrets or commercial or financial information would cause competitive harm to the person or business, and only insofar as the claim directly applies to the records requested. The information included under this exemption includes all trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained by a public body, including a public pension fund, from a private equity fund or a privately held company within the investment portfolio of a private equity fund as a result of either investing or evaluating a potential investment of public funds in a private equity fund. The exemption contained in this item does not apply to the aggregate financial performance information of a private equity fund, nor to the identity of the fund's managers or general partners. The exemption contained in this item does not apply to the identity of a privately held company within the investment portfolio of a private equity fund, unless the disclosure of the identity of a privately held company may cause competitive harm."
Sincerely,
Nathaniel Tortora
FOIA Office
Chicago Housing Authority
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