Research and News Roundup:
September 2024

The Research and News Roundup is a monthly blog series that features a curated list of recent news and research related to housing instability, homelessness, and affordable housing. Together, these topics provide insights about the full housing continuum and provide community stakeholders with information about emergent research, promising practices, and innovative solutions related to housing and homelessness.

This month’s Research and News Roundup highlights how healthcare systems are screening for housing instability, the long-term impact and social, economic, and healthcare needs of those who have experienced homelessness, and approaches to addressing the digital divide in affordable housing.

HOUSING INSTABILITY

Housing Instability Screening and Referral Programs: A Scoping Review

This research article assessed thirty studies to examine the screening and referral process, workflow, and questions that are used in healthcare settings to assess housing instability. The majority of the studies included in the article used a screening tool that was self-administered. There was variation in how the term housing instability was defined with most defining housing instability as current or imminent risk of homelessness. The majority of the health care settings utilized screening tools developed by their institution while others used published social needs screening tools. While most studies reported some type of response if the person indicated housing instability such as a housing need specific referral, only some reported supporting the individual in following up on the referral, and only a few indicated they provided continued support after initially connecting the individual to the housing need resource. The study asserts that while the current approach for screening for housing instability in healthcare settings addresses an important need, there is also a need for the use of more standardized screening tools and response approaches to improve the impact of screening for housing needs and other social determinants of health in a healthcare setting.

HOMELESSNESS

Health and Health Care Among Adults with Previous Experiences of Homelessness: Findings from the KFF Survey on Racism, Discrimination, and Health

Last week the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), released findings from its 2023 Racism, Discrimination, and Health Survey related to health and health care among adults who reported previous experiences of homelessness. The survey was administered to a nationally representative sample of 6,292 adults, 811 of whom responded yes to the question “Have you or any of your close family members ever experienced homelessness?”. The survey found that overall, 1 in 10 adults reported experiencing homelessness. Among those who identified as either Black or American Indian/Alaska Native, 1 in 5 reported experiencing homelessness. Among those who identified as White, non-Hispanic and Hispanic (regardless of race), 1 in 10 reported experiencing homelessness. Compared to those who did not experience homelessness, those who did had disproportionately lower income, challenges paying bills, difficulties meeting basic needs, and lower rates of home ownership. They also reported disproportionate rates of physical and mental health challenges. One -third reported being in fair or poor physical health with almost half reporting a condition that impacted their quality of life. Those who experienced homelessness were twice as likely to report poor mental health and higher rates of anxiety and depression. They reported higher rates of being uninsured, higher utilization of emergency rooms for health care needs, skipping or postponing mental health care, and not being asked about social or economic needs when they did seek care. These findings highlight the long-term impacts of experiencing homelessness and the social, economic, and health care needs of people who have previously experienced homelessness.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Addressing the Digital Divide in Affordable Housing: The Power of Collective Action

The digital divide is the gap between individuals and communities that do not have access to reliable and affordable technology and internet access and the skills to use both and those who do. The digital divide disproportionately impacts low-income households, people of color, and those who live in rural areas. Previous research has indicated that a significant number of households living in public housing lack access to high-speed internet with affordability of internet access and cost of devices being primary barriers to access. This report from the Department of City and Regional Planning at Cornell University examined efforts to close the digital divide in affordable housing by three local housing authorities and highlights recurring themes found across the three communities. Common themes included participation in the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s ConnectHomeUSA digital inclusion program, and the role of collective action, community partnerships, and cross-community peer learning in addressing the digital divide in public housing communities. You can access more information about Charlotte’s digital divide via the Center for Digital Equity website.