Hackathon Brings Innovation and Focus to the Problem of Reducing Evictions

2024 Housing Stabilization Hackathon Contestants

24 Data scientists, programers, market research professionals, real estate investors, and community development advocates competed in the Cincinnati Housing Stabilization Hackathon February 2nd at the 1819 Innovation Hub. The event was produced by Flywheel Social Enterprise Hub and Strategies to End Homelessness. The Hackathon called on innovators and entrepreneurs to partner with housing services professionals to propose ways to reduce evictions. 

More specifically, to find data, technology, insights collection, and engagement processes that could predict families at risk for eviction. The goal is to improve early intervention to keep families housed, stable and strong.

Over 40 Innovators applied to the hackathon. The top 9 submissions competed in the event. 

The first place award and a check for $1,000 dollars went to a solution called TenantGuard. The team was led by Betsy Ehmcke, a data scientist at 84.51, and included Bijorn Burrell, Jacob Pieniazek, and Nick Ramos. TenantGuard used machine learning trained on 22 weeks of data from the Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey to predict when a tenant would be perceived as at-risk of eviction. The demo app also gave families access to a trained chatbot that would lead them to a knowledge base for all local tenant resources. 

Ramos noted that much of the data that might predict housing loss is in a state that is not usable. “So a lot of what we have to do to build a solution is to get the data into a usable state. Tenant Guard is a solution that collects clean data from the start,” he said. 

“We knew we would get some nontraditional ideas but we didn’t realize how much passion to solve this problem our contestants would bring to the challenge,” said Flywheel’s executive director, Laura Tepe. Even before the pitch event, contestants were asking how they could collaborate further, both with other contestants and the housing service providers, to further develop the ideas that came out of the event. 

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval delivered the welcome address and Council Member Meeka Owens served as a judge, as did leaders from housing services providers, and members of the Cincinnati startup community. 

The presenting sponsor of the Hackathon was the Ed and Joanne Hubert Family Foundation. Other sponsors include NECCO, First Financial, Interact for Health, Altafiber, Cincinnati Development Fund, Model Group, and 84.51. 2024 Sustaining Partners are the City of Cincinnati, Greater Cincinnati Foundation and the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation.

Four other contestants were recognized for meritorious solutions

Best use of data - Juan Lazarde, Rosie Manfreidi, Alejandro Ramirez, Pepe LaFuente for PRVNT

Best presentation - Serge Doumit, Sean Thimons, Mahmoud Shobair for HESTIA

Most creative approach - Adaite Vagerwal and Sahil Thakara for FinCare

Dignity for the Lived Experience - Cyrina Thomas, Shakeita Moore-Lilly, Alexandria Barnes, Sherry Powell, Candace Gasper and Carroll Wallace

The hackathon was produced in coordination with the City of Cincinnati and the 2023 Impact Grant to reduce evictions. Strategies to End Homelessness is leading the work of a collaborative that includes 84.51, Bethany House, Flywheel Social Enterprise Hub, Found House Interfaith Housing Network, Legal Aid Society, Lighthouse Youth and Family Services, St. Vincent DePaul, and YWCA

Team

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval Gives the Welcome Address

Over 100 guests attended at the 1819 Innovation Hub

Members of Team TenantGuard Bijorn Burrell, Betsy Ehmcke, Nick Ramos and Jacob Pieniazek