Spatial decision support for assisted housing mobility counseling

This paper presents a prototype spatial decision support system (SDSS) that enables clients in the Housing Choice Voucher Program to make better decisions about neighborhoods in which to search for housing and specific units to evaluate for occupancy. Application requirements are based on field research establishing limitations of housing counselors to provide detailed assistance to clients, and the capability of clients to use a spatial decision support system. Decision opportunities are identified using value-focused thinking and spatial analysis. Specific destination alternatives are ranked using a destination choice algorithm based on multicriteria decision models that incorporates alternative relocation strategies.