Homelessness? There's an app for that in Silicon Valley

Imagine if you could help end homelessness with the click of a button. Theres an app for that! In Silicon Valley, despite the vast affluence and many tech millionaires, homelessness is a huge problem. With average home prices close to a $1 million and tiny flats renting for well over $1,000, making ends meet can be challenging; and for some people, just finding a roof over their heads is mission impossible.

Alison van Diggelen , host of Fresh Dialogues met one woman whose homeless brother inspired her to change all that.

For those who are homeless and poverty stricken, its like having a life coach, a service provider and a trainer in the palm of their hands. Theres really something to teaching to fishrather than giving fishhelping them be self sufficient rather than temporary handouts Were here trying to help in other ways that are more sustainable and that lead to a permanent resolution of the problem. Karen Addato , Founder of Hi Tech Rover and ROVA app.

Heres my BBC World Service report. It aired this week on the BBCs World Tech program, Click . Listen @15:40 for Host, Gareth Mitchells introduction on the April 4th BBC Podcast or to the short clip at Fresh Dialogues .

Alison van Diggelen: Im here on the Hi Tech Rover, an RV (large camper van) that brings both the internet and a safety net to homeless people all over San Jose. Karen Addato (founder of the Hi Tech Rover and the ROVA app ) and her volunteers offer an opportunity for homeless people to get off the streets and reboot their lives. They offer Internet training, help with online job applications, housing search, and even access to detox services.

Karen, where are we going right now?

Karen Addato: Were in downtown San Jose, the Capital of Silicon Valley and were going to a couple of encampments under bridges, right here in the heart of town. One of them is on Woz Way

Alison van Diggelen: Woz as in Steve Wozniak , cofounder of Apple and generous philanthropist here in Silicon Valley. Karen Addato is a vivacious single mom, a mortgage broker and executive director of the nonprofit: High Tech Rover. She used $7,000 of her savings to create this Rover Outreach Vehicle App prototype, ROVA for short.

Karen Addato: For those who are homeless and poverty stricken, its like having a life coach, a service provider and a trainer in the palm of their hands when were not here helping them, they can stay on a pathway focused on upward mobility. They can get on to ROVA and press one button.. I am seeking help. Up comes a list of resources available for that gender and age group. We have a geo-tracker right here, so you can find out where they areThis tool will also help government officials, donors, and service providers figure out whats needed and whats not.

Alison van Diggelen: Connecting homeless people with jobs, training opportunities and relocation information are a key for Addato. Her brother Stevie was homeless in Boston, and she believes that those who supported his panhandling simply enabled his alcoholism and homelessness. Instead, shes serious about connecting people to local services, and getting people off the streets for good.

Karen Addato: Ive learned a lot in my time in the trenches working with this populationIve learned a lot through the life and tragic death of my brother Theres really something to teaching to fishrather than giving fishhelping them be self sufficient rather than temporary handouts that in some ways is part of the problem. Were here trying to help in other ways that are more sustainable and that lead to a permanent resolution of the problem.

Alison van Diggelen: The High Tech Rover a huge camper van is kitted out with desks and laptops. Addato and her volunteers take it to homeless camps around Silicon Valley.

Alison van Diggelen: We make our way over rough ground to the confluence of Highways 280 and 87. Addato grabs her pepper spray, just in case. We find a half dozen scruffy tents stretched out along a concrete embankment. Below us: the Guadalupe River. Above us, although its midday, theres a constant drone of heavy traffic.

Jason, whose name has been changed to protect his privacy, tells me hes been homeless for 2 years. Hes 19 and working two jobs, earning between 11 and 17 dollars an hour

Alison van Diggelen: You cant get a decent roof over head with that?

Jason: Not in Silicon Valley, its too expensiveone beds like $1300, its crazy out here. Us teenagers, we need help. Not all of us want to be here forever.

Alison van Diggelen: Every morning, Jason has to find a place to shower and clean up for his service jobs. We tell him about Karens app. Would that be a useful tool?

Jason: Thats actually a very brilliant idea, because a lot of us actually have phones Ive actually wanted something like that. Keep helping!

Alison van Diggelen: I ask another young man, what would help him?

Charlie: San Jose needs to lower how much it costs to buy a house, their rentsyou need to live with like three people, making at least $20 an hour to end up being able to have your own place in San Jose.

Alison van Diggelen: The ROVA app includes a database of over 700 low-income housing facilities in the county. Both young men plan to relocate out of state when they can afford it.

Like many in Silicon Valley, Addato dreams big and is seeking sponsorship from the tech community to launch her app, and create a whole fleet of High-Tech Rovers across the nation. She recently pitched her dream at the Apple campus and remains hopeful. The wider tech community is already tackling homeless via brainstorming hackathons ; leveraging data-driven solutions and social media to spotlight community challenges. In Australia, an app called Ask Izzy already offers similar services to ROVA.

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