Sophie Chou

Data Reporter

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Sophie Chou is a data reporter at ProPublica. She uses statistics and data science to investigate stories. Before coming to ProPublica, she was a data journalist at Public Radio International, and a Google News fellow at the Pew Research Center, where she was a primary researcher on a report that used Google search data to measure the impact of media coverage of the Flint water crisis. Sophie earned her master’s degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she researched how political news spread on Twitter during the 2016 elections, and completed an undergraduate degree in computer science at Columbia University.

Are Colorado’s Efforts to Curb HOA Foreclosures Working?

Homeowners associations have filed far fewer foreclosure cases since the state enacted a law aimed at protecting residents in disputes with their HOAs, according to a ProPublica-Rocky Mountain PBS analysis.

HOA Foreclosures Are a “Lose-Lose” Game for Coloradans, but These Lawyers Win Regardless of the Outcome

A retired NFL player’s legal battle with a homeowners association spotlights why critics say Colorado law incentivizes attorneys to advise that HOAs foreclose on residents rather than find less expensive solutions.

An Exodus Unlike Any Other: Why Half the People in This Community Moved Away After Hurricane Katrina

After Hurricane Katrina devastated St. Bernard Parish, many residents didn’t receive enough money from the state to rebuild. Nearly half made the difficult decision to start over somewhere else.

The Federal Program to Rebuild After Hurricane Katrina Shortchanged the Poor. New Data Proves It.

For years, low-income residents of New Orleans have said the state’s Road Home program paid them less to rebuild their homes compared to wealthier residents. They were right.

They Faced Foreclosure Not From Their Mortgage Lender, but From Their HOA

While most homeowners associations refrain from the “last resort” of foreclosing on residents, some Colorado communities have moved time and again to take members’ homes.

In North Carolina, Black Voters’ Mail-In Ballots Much More Likely to Be Rejected Than Those From Any Other Race

Black voters were more than twice as likely to have mail-in ballots rejected than those submitted by the state’s white voters in 2018, and rejection rates for 2020 show a similar pattern, according to a new analysis by ProPublica and WRAL News.

HUD Inspect: See if Publicly Subsidized Housing Units Passed or Failed Government Inspections

Across the country, publicly subsidized housing residents have discovered that passing scores on HUD inspections often don't match the reality of their living conditions. Look up housing complex scores near you.

Despite Audit, Doctors With Checkered Records Can Still Decide Fate of Green Card Seekers

Last year, the federal government promised to improve vetting of doctors who administer immigration medical exams. But ProPublica found doctors with records of unprofessional behavior, including sexual misconduct, drug abuse and fraud, still have the federal government’s approval.

HUD Inspect

The government inspects taxpayer-subsidized apartment buildings. See which ones passed and failed.

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