Page 16 - The Indian EYE 080125

North The Indian Eye

AMERICANNewsline

16 AUGUST 01, 2025
Mayor Adams, HPD, NYPL announce

Free and Low-Cost Wi-Fi to Thousands

of in affordable Housing

“Liberty Link” Will Serve Nearly 2,200 Households in Section 8 and other Affordable

Housing Buildings Across Bronx and Upper Manhattan

OUR BUREAU people where they are and removing
a barrier that’s held too many New
NEW YORK, NY
Yorkers back for far too long.”
ew York City Mayor Eric “Part of the Library’s mission is
Adams and New York City to promote free access to informa-
NDepartment of Housing Pres- tion, and in today’s digital world that
ervation and Development (HPD) means internet access,” said Anthony
Acting Commissioner Ahmed Tigani W. Marx, president, The New York
have announced “Liberty Link,” a Public Library. “From applying to
groundbreaking program that will jobs to staying informed, the internet
deliver high-quality internet to thou- is increasingly necessary to fully par-
sands of low-income New Yorkers ticipate in society. This is why we are
in 100-percent affordable housing so committed to closing the digital di-
buildings at little to no cost to tenants. vide and proud to help spearhead this
Through the pilot program — which innovative program designed to de-
is being led by HPD and the New liver free at-home Wi-Fi to lower-in-
York Public Library (NYPL) system — Ridge Street Apartments will deliver 190 truly-affordable homes for seniors on the Lower East come New Yorkers.”
NYPL will connect the buildings to fi- Side. Credit: Handel Architects LLP The Liberty Link pilot program
ber internet and deploy building-wide will run for three years and test a
Wi-Fi infrastructure. With $3.25 mil- range of models and technologies to
lion in funding from HPD, the pilot the Adams administration will double more affordable city for working-class identify the most effective and scal-
internet network will serve nearly down on those efforts and deliver an families.” able approaches for a citywide expan-
2,200 households across 35 affordable essential, free service to even more “Access to reliable, high-speed in- sion. As part of the Adams administra-
housing buildings in the Bronx and New Yorkers. ternet is a fundamental necessity in tion’s efforts to increase investments
Upper Manhattan. “Whether it’s finding a job, filling today’s world. With ‘Liberty Link,’ we in minority- and women-owned busi-
Additionally, as part of Liber- a prescription, or applying for child are extending the reach of our digital ness enterprises (M/WBEs), approxi-
ty Link, tenants will have access to care, the internet is no longer a luxury; equity work to ensure that more New mately half of the pilot’s funding will
HPD’s “Neighborhood Tech Help” it’s an essential service. But when we Yorkers, regardless of income or zip be awarded to M/WBEs to install,
program, a one-on-one digital literacy came into office, too many New York- code, can fully participate in our econ- maintain, and operate the network
program launched earlier this year to ers were disconnected from the inter- omy and society,” said Deputy Mayor infrastructure. Network design and
help New Yorkers connect to the in- net, which is why we launched our ‘Big for Housing, Economic Development, procurement will begin this summer,
ternet, use technology, and navigate Apple Connect’ program to bring free and Workforce Adolfo Carrión, Jr. with service rollout expected to begin
online resources. Today’s announce- broadband to hundreds of thousands “This program is about ensuring equal by the end of 2025.
ment reaffirms Mayor Adams’ com- of NYCHA residents. Today, we are opportunity and creating a more con- Liberty Link will operate in 35
mitment to closing the digital divide doubling down on those efforts and nected and inclusive city.” buildings with 100-percent affordable
in New York City and making sure expanding our free Wi-Fi services to “At HPD, we talk a lot about hous- housing across the Bronx and Upper
that every New Yorker has afford- thousands of new Section 8 and af- ing as a foundation. But today is about Manhattan. These buildings include
able access to the internet. In 2022, fordable housing tenants with ‘Liberty what we build on top of that founda- properties owned by non-profit hous-
the Adams administration launched Link,’” said Mayor Adams. “‘Liberty tion: access to jobs, education, health ing providers such as Comunilife,
“Big Apple Connect” to bring access Link’ will build on the success of ‘Big care — all of which increasingly de- JASA, Lantern Community Services,
to free internet and cable to 330,000 Apple Connect’ and give over 2,000 pend on access to the internet,” said Lutheran Social Services, PIBLY Res-
New Yorkers across 220 NYCHA fa- more households the free internet HPD Acting Commissioner Tigani. idential Programs, Services for the
cilities and save working-class families they need. We will help more work- “For the families we serve, the internet Underserved, and Urban Pathways.
an average of roughly $1,700 per year. ing-class New Yorkers save on the cost isn’t a luxury — it’s how you find a job, Many residents of these buildings
With Liberty Link — which was first of this vital service, put money back get your kids through school, stay con- participate in the Section 8 rental as-
previewed in Mayor Adams’ State of into their pockets, and deliver, once nected to health care and community. sistance program and currently face
the City address earlier this year — again, on our commitment to create a With ‘Liberty Link,’ we’re meeting barriers to internet access.

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