At a time when many people are relying on video conferencing to connect with family or conduct business, a large number of residents living in federally assisted housing have struggled with access to video equipment and the internet, according to a new study.
Service coordinators who work closely with affordable housing residents observed that most renters relied on telecommunications rather than video calls to connect with others due to a lack of equipment and technology literacy. Only 8% of service coordinators reported that renters had reliable internet access. As a result, video calls—with a service coordinator, medical provider, or family member—were limited by residents lacking reliable internet and the appropriate technology, reports the American Association of Service Coordinators (AASC).
“Equipping each federally subsidized property with buildingwide internet that is free for residents to access is the first step to ensuring residents can stay connected while social distancing and partake in telehealth,” stated the “Impact of COVID-19 on Residents Living in Federally-Assisted Housing: A National Survey of Resident Service Coordinators” report.
The recommendation is based on a survey conducted in June 2020 with 1,440 service coordinators in 49 states. Nearly all (96%) of the survey respondents are employed to serve a Department of Housing and Urban Development–assisted property, and 88% work at a property primarily serving adults 62 years and older. AASC collaborated on the study with researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
“It’s widely known in the affordable housing industry that residents have suffered greatly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Michelle Missler, president and CEO of AASC.
“The data in this report quantifies the toll that the pandemic has taken on vulnerable populations. It also highlights the critical role of a service coordinator to help low-income residents sustain life while facing barriers to accessing resources to meet their basic needs.”
The study also found that many residents have avoided needed medical care. About 43.4% of service coordinators reported being aware of residents who have put off medical care during the pandemic that they would have otherwise sought.
On a positive note, service coordinators reported that nearly all facilities were offering assistance with food access, with the majority of respondents (82.8%) reporting that residents were able to meet their food needs. Most service coordinators have facilitated food delivery (78.9%) or meal distribution (67.9%) since the start of COVID-19 and use of these services has increased substantially among residents.
According to the report, “a coordinated response is necessary to support and maintain food access. Continued federal investments in food programs and delivery flexibilities have allowed service coordinators to quickly connect residents with meals.”
