National Evaluation of HUD’s ConnectHome Initiative

The brief, written by Insight’s Carole Trippe and Brittany McGill, summarizes the results of one of three components of the National Evaluation of ConnectHome, a collaborative effort of communities, the federal government, and the private sector to bring high-speed internet access to low-income families in HUD-assisted housing. The brief describes the Baseline Access Survey—which assessed the baseline level of internet access among families with children in 22 pilot communities prior to implementing the initiative. Insight examined the level of in-home internet access, the types of internet connection, the number and types of devices used (e.g., phone, laptop, tablet), the reasons for lack of internet access, and awareness of the ConnectHome initiative. Results show only about one-third of households have high-speed internet access at home. Another third are “underconnected,” relying, for example, on a cell phone data plan for in-home internet access, and one-third have no internet access at all at home. Most households without internet access report cost as the primary reason.