Technical and Social Overview of the By-Name Database

Over five hundred thousand people experience homelessness in America, and with problems, such as income inequality and gentrification, this population is set to increase. A part of the issue is the lack of information American communities have on their homelessness issue. To address this, communities could implement the By-Name Database, that is a database where information on a person’s homelessness can be looked up by name. Techniques from CS 4750 could be used to implement the By-Name database. However, other more advance techniques would be needed to make the By-Name database reach its full potential. Furthermore, another barrier to the success of the By-Name Database is the cooperation of the unhoused, who are likely to be predisposed to be distrustful of it. The attitudes of the unhoused and how to overcome skepticism must be considered when implementing the By-Name Database.