For Immediate Release: 12/6/2023
GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL
GOVERNOR HOCHUL ANNOUNCES $100 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING NOW AVAILABLE FOR HIGH-SPEED BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM
Program Aims to Connect 100,000 Affordable Housing Units with High-Speed Broadband Infrastructure Through Partnership Between Empire State Development's ConnectALL Office and New York State Homes and Community Renewal
Complements Governor Hochul's Bold Agenda to Address New York's Housing Crisis – Including Five-Year, $25 Billion Housing Plan to Build and Preserve 100,000 Affordable Units and Executive Actions to Promote Housing Growth
Request for Applications from Internet Service Providers Available Here
Survey for Property Owners Seeking Consideration for No-Cost Broadband Upgrades Available Here
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that applications are now open for the $100 million Affordable Housing Connectivity Program, a partnership led by Empire State Development’s ConnectALL Office in consultation with New York State Homes and Community Renewal to design and install broadband infrastructure at 100,000 affordable housing units across New York State. The program, which is federally funded through the Treasury Department's Capital Projects Fund under the American Rescue Plan Act, is the largest targeted investment in affordable housing connectivity in the nation. The request for applications is available here.
"As part of my administration's commitment to building safe, stable, affordable housing, we are leveraging a $100 million federal investment to give New Yorkers one of the most important household amenities we can offer – access to high-speed internet," Governor Hochul said. “With work, school, and essential government services going digital, affordable homes need affordable, reliable broadband, and this funding will help bolster our efforts to build housing equipped with the basic tools that New Yorkers need to succeed. I thank the New York delegation for supporting New York's Affordable Housing Connectivity Program and for their partnership in helping to create housing where New York families cannot just live but thrive."
New York’s Affordable Housing Connectivity Program is a competitive grant program designed to fund high-speed, reliable broadband infrastructure to and within low-income housing buildings. Internet service providers are invited to apply for $100 million in federal funding for retrofits to provide internet infrastructure in affordable housing rental units to support high-speed internet.
Property owners must complete a survey to be considered for no-cost broadband upgrades to their building. ConnectALL will pair eligible properties with the best proposals from Internet Service Providers to complete the installation.
The Affordable Housing Connectivity Program complements Governor Hochul's bold agenda to increase the supply of housing, including affordable housing, and address New York's housing crisis. Earlier this year, the Governor announced a package of executive actions to promote housing growth across New York State, including: the prioritization of Pro-Housing Communities for $650 million in state discretionary funding; a statewide assessment of state-owned sites for potential housing opportunities; the start of an initiative to address regulatory hurdles to housing production; and the creation of a program to accelerate housing growth in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn. As part of the FY 2023 Budget, Governor Hochul also secured funding for a five-year, $25 billion housing plan to build and preserve 100,000 affordable homes.
New York's ConnectALL Initiative
Governor Hochul created the $1.3 billion ConnectALL Initiative, the largest investment in New York's 21st century infrastructure, as part of her 2022 State of the State address. ConnectALL is designed to close New York State’s digital divide, transform the state's digital infrastructure, and ensure that all New Yorkers have access to reliable and affordable high-speed broadband internet service. Over the past year, the ConnectALL Office has conducted listening sessions, surveys, and focus groups in every region of the state and convened industry and stakeholder forums to design its signature grant programs.
ConnectALL mobilized a statewide effort to supplement federal broadband data, securing over $664 million in federal funding to address unserved and underserved rural areas, in addition to the $100 million available for the Affordable Housing Connectivity Program. ESD’s ConnectALL Office recently published drafts of New York State’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Initial Proposal, Vols 1 & 2, and the State’s Digital Equity Plan. These plans will help guide public investments to make high-quality, affordable, reliable broadband accessible to all New Yorkers. The public is encouraged to read the plans at www.broadband.ny.gov.
ConnectALL continues to work with state agencies and community partners to promote the Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program, which now has more than 1.6 million New York households signed up for the monthly subsidy of $30, bringing nearly $50 million in total broadband savings for those households each month.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “$100 Million I secured in the American Rescue Plan is now available to connect thousands of families and residents across New York with high-quality internet service. From rural communities to bustling city neighborhoods, too many New Yorkers have struggled to obtain affordable, high-speed broadband, but with applications now open for the Affordable Housing Connectivity Program, we are one step closer to bridging the digital divide. The internet is not a luxury, it is essential infrastructure and this funding will help New Yorkers connect to new opportunities, education, healthcare and so much more right in their homes. Together with Gov. Hochul, we are taking bold strides to transform our state’s digital landscape, and boosting equitable internet accessibility to help New Yorkers thrive in today’s 21st century economy.”
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “Limited access to reliable high-speed internet makes it harder for kids to do their homework, for seniors to access telehealth appointments, and for workers to take advantage of remote employment opportunities. High-quality internet is no longer a luxury – it is a necessity for everyday life. This federal funding will bring broadband to affordable housing units across New York and improve quality of life for New York families. I am proud to have fought to pass the American Rescue Plan to secure this funding and I will keep fighting for federal resources to close the digital divide once and for all.”
Representative Jerry Nadler said, “High-speed broadband is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, Democrats are delivering affordable internet access to low-income homes across our state, keeping New Yorkers connected with their families as well as career and educational opportunities.”
Representative Gregory Meeks said, “High-speed broadband infrastructure being available in affordable housing is pivotal for New Yorkers. Affordable housing connectivity unlocks countless opportunities for residents. The $100 million in federal funds invests in personal and professional development by allowing people access to crucial resources such as online education, remote work, telehealth services and a world of information at their disposable. I am a major advocate of integrating high-speed broadband into affordable housing because we are bridging the digital divide. We are acknowledging that the internet is not a luxury but required in modern society. The federal funds assist in creating inclusiveness among our communities, where everyone, regardless of their economic circumstances, has the necessary resources to succeed.”
Representative Brian Higgins said, “Access to quality, high-speed internet is a necessity in today’s world – for school, work, and for equal opportunity. Congress passed the American Rescue Plan to help people, businesses and communities come back stronger following the pandemic. I commend Governor Hochul’s leadership advancing broadband implementation and equity.”
Representative Paul Tonko said, “It has long been that case that broadband internet is an essential resource in our 21st century economy – whether to complete homework, access telemedicine, submit a job application, or simply connect with loved ones and the wider community. For years I’ve pushed at the federal level to improve access and affordability to broadband, including through my ACCESS BROADBAND Law and provisions in the American Rescue Plan. I’m glad to see those vital investments being put to good use for our New York communities and I’ll continue working to ensure everyone across our state can afford and access reliable internet.”
Representative Grace Meng said, “In Congress, I am proud to have helped create the over $7 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund that has increased internet access across our state and country including at schools and libraries in my congressional district in Queens. I am excited about this $100 million as well as I have long supported connecting more of our affordable housing units to the internet. Everybody deserves access to reliable, affordable and high-speed broadband, and as the New York representative on the Regional Leadership Council, I’m thrilled to see more federal funding going to our state. Thank you to Governor Hochul for her leadership on this issue.”
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "Having reliable, accessible and affordable broadband is essential to our economy and our quality of life. This program is a vital component of Governor Hochul’s ConnectALL initiative and will connect all New Yorkers, especially in communities that have historically been left behind."
New York State Association for Affordable Housing President and CEO Jolie Milstein said, “Broadband connectivity is no longer a luxury – it is a necessity. With applications officially open, the ConnectALL program can ensure that thousands of New Yorkers have greater access to employment and educational opportunities across the state. Congratulations to the Hochul administration on this launch, and we look forward to deploying these critical resources to modernization retrofits across our affordable housing portfolio.”
This $100 million investment in New York State comes from the $10 billion in the American Rescue Plan's Capital Projects Fund. This is in addition to the historic federal funding secured in the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Law, which included a record $65 billion for the expansion of high-speed internet to connect the unserved, make internet affordable, and provide resources for digital literacy. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the American Rescue Plan are working in tandem to close the digital divide – providing access to high-speed internet in underserved communities and lowering costs for those who cannot afford it.
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