Tasfia Mashiat, George Mason University

Abstract

Ensuring the fairness and equitability of algorithms for allocating public resources is challenging since the definition of fairness is highly intersectional, multi-modal, and domain-specific. In the context of limited resource allocation, we present new results showing that these definitions cannot hold simultaneously in the presence of heterogeneous responses to different “treatments” among different groups. Using real-world administrative records, we demonstrate the fairness trade-offs stemming from such heterogeneity across groups in responses to homeless services. Our findings raise concerns about seemingly natural fairness metrics in the design of policies to address homelessness and in social policy more generally, especially when stakeholders can have competing objectives.