As outlined in the initial lawsuit, SafeRent's scoring algorithm uses factors like credit history and non-rental-related debts to assign a SafeRent Score to potential tenants. Landlords can then use this score to determine whether to accept or deny someone's rental application. The lawsuit claimed the process isn't transparent, as SafeRent doesn't tell landlords how it came up with a person's score. And the system allegedly assigned lower scores unfairly for Black and Hispanic tenants, as well as people who use housing vouchers, leading landlords to deny their housing applications.
AI landlord screening tool will stop scoring low-income tenants after discrimination suit
By Emma Roth