US renters fall foul of algorithms in search for a home

A man looks at advertisements for luxury apartments and homes in the window of Real Estate sales business in Manhattan’s upper east side neighbourhood in New York City, US. A Washington D.C. bill targeting algorithmic discrimination is being hailed as potential model for wider crackdown on tenant-screening tools. — Reuters

WASHINGTON: Candice’s latest rejection email for a housing rental in Washington D.C. looked much like all her others – a generic response with no proper explanation of the decision.

“It will just say, ‘unfortunately, right now we didn’t accept your application’,” said Candice, 36, who has lived in the US capital for most of her life and is now looking for a larger home for herself and her three children.