Digital and mobile technology advances have delivered far-reaching benefits for countries, industries and individuals, becoming integral to almost every aspect of life. And yet, inequities in access to digital technology continue to persist, even in high GDP markets like the United States. Here, low-income people and other underserved groups are less likely to adopt and use digital technology, missing out on the personal, social and economic benefits it brings. One group particularly affected by this digital divide is people experiencing homelessness, which included more than 560,000 people across the U.S. in 2019.
This population faces especially acute challenges on the west coast, and particularly in California, where more than half of all people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the U.S. are based (53 per cent or 108,432), according to the annual point-in-time count. In the San Francisco Bay Area, income inequality, coupled with a longstanding housing shortage and increasing rental costs, has led to a surge in homelessness and housing insecurity over the last decade which the United Nations Special Rapporteur declared “is a violation of multiple human rights.”
For people experiencing homelessness and those at risk of becoming so, early interventions and resources can be extremely valuable, and digital technology has the potential to be a transformative platform for this. Given the prevalence of mobile phone ownership for those experiencing homelessness in San Francisco, many of whom are dependent on smartphones as their sole means of connectivity, mobile-enabled internet access is a valuable resource. Through our research, we identified four main benefits of mobile access and use for people experiencing homelessness: Connecting with family, friends and caseworkers; improving health outcomes; gaining employment and accessing social services; and offering a greater sense of empowerment and agency. And yet, barriers persist affecting people’s access to devices, affordable mobile plans, relevant content and services, and the necessary digital literacy training to suit their varied needs.
To better understand these digital inclusion barriers, and solutions to address them, the GSMA Digital Equity Initiative partnered with ShelterTech, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization focused on solving the biggest technology challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness. Today, we’re proud to release our initial landscaping research summarizing our findings.
We release this research at a time of unprecedented challenges for communities around the world in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in particular, for vulnerable populations. People experiencing homelessness are inherently high-risk during this public health crisis – the correlation between life without a stable home, and negative health outcomes, is well-documented. In cities throughout the United States, communities are working to adapt service programs for homeless neighbors amid the outbreak, and to expand shelter capacity, hygiene stations and isolation facilities for suspected cases. Yet, in a city such as San Francisco, the ‘shelter-in-place’ order is highly challenging for the estimated 10,000-plus people experiencing homelessness, of whom 64 per cent are unsheltered, and 35 per cent are over the age of 50, according to the city’s annual point-in-time count. For those who do have access to shelters, physical distancing is a near impossible task.
More widely, the COVID-19 virus is demonstrating the critical importance of internet connectivity in everyday life tasks, from healthcare to banking, education, social interactions and accessing up-to-date public information. Schools and businesses across the United States and many other markets have closed down, and public services are adopting a ‘digital first’ approach to service provision, which in the U.S., includes the expansion of Medicare coverage to telehealth services while in-person healthcare systems are at-capacity. This new digital-first environment ensures many people are able to remain productive, connected and informed, and yet significantly impacts individuals without internet connectivity. Barriers to digital inclusion represent just one of a multitude of challenges facing people experiencing homelessness during this time. And yet, internet connectivity can play a critical role in bridging the gap to many fundamental services for this at-risk group.
ShelterTech’s Executive Director Bill Soward highlighted the impact in San Francisco, “On the ground, we’re hearing that many of those who are low-income or experiencing homelessness are feeling very disconnected. Due to the closure of public libraries and non-profits, there is little to no access to the internet, technical support and charging facilities many people rely on, and hotspot devices and outdoor alternatives are in short supply. This also means individuals no longer have access to the news, social networks, social service applications, and recreational online activities (such as music, movies and games) that greatly contribute to their well-being and self-care.”
The GSMA Digital Equity Initiative and ShelterTech will be hosting webinars on Thursday, 30 April and Friday, 1 May to present findings from our landscaping research in more detail, and we invite all interested parties to join us for this interactive session. We will also devote time to a discussion on the present challenges and mitigations relating to digital inclusion for people experiencing homelessness throughout the United States during this unprecedented time.