The city of Austin, Texas, is among the first ones in the world to be putting blockchain to a very useful task: helping the homeless. While the problem exists around the world to different extents, a universal solution to identifying homeless people and taking care of them has not been found. And while investors disagree over the price of Bitcoin, blockchain is full speed ahead of solving worldwide issues.
Blockchain is now used in various industries and sectors, many of which require special identification processes in order to work. The problem with homeless people and their identification comes from the fact that once they lose their ID, they become unable to search for any government help, housing or any other type of job and legitimate aid. IDs are actually crucial in reducing the number of homeless people, since many of them are actively searching for help all the time. So, the city of Austin is tackling the problem in a creative way – with blockchain.
According to Slashgear, Austian is now searching for way to use blockchain as an ID management platform for the homeless using a grant awarded by Bloomberg Philanthropies:
“More than 7,000 people in Austin are homeless and experience delays or troubles getting social help due to ID issues, according to Bloomberg.”
The innovative solution is set to be active for the next four years. How this will work is that the test will be using blockchain to create a uniquely positioned identifier, with which homeless people will be able to access their own data and search for help, information and whatever they need that requires identification of some sort. These include services, getting easier access to government help and medical supplies and others.
What blockchain will do for the homeless is create an identification that cannot be lost, destroyed or “smuggled”. So, with the elimination of paper-based IDs, homeless people will be able to get the proper care when needed and even get examined and receive medical treatment, since all of the information will be stored in the “blocks”.