Dozens of New York City shelters for homeless adults don’t provide Wi-Fi access in their buildings, making it hard for residents to find work and housing, and stay in touch with friends and family, a new report shows.
A survey of more than 200 homeless individuals by two grassroots groups found that just a quarter of those surveyed reported having Wi-Fi in their shelter. Less than a third said they had access to a computer room with an internet connection. Even those who had some access to computers and Wi-Fi said their access was limited, reporting that computers were seldom free and the Wi-Fi was very slow.
“It’s 2025,” said Irene Linares, senior research and policy coordinator at Take Root Justice, a legal and policy nonprofit group that put together the survey along with VOCAL-NY, which advocates for low-income New Yorkers. “It’s so basic to connect in this way.”