New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser today announced a $2.4 million capital investment and released the “NYC Digital Equity Roadmap” to advance digital equity for underserved communities across the five boroughs. The investment will make it easier for New Yorkers of all ages to access devices and digital literacy skills programming in their communities, including renovating computer labs in libraries and older adult centers. The new roadmap outlines 11 new initiatives — including the creation of an interagency Digital Equity Working Group, expanding the city’s New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) mobile computer lab fleet, the creation of a new chief digital equity officer, and more — to meet the immediate needs of under connected New Yorkers. The NYC Digital Equity Roadmap builds off the administration’s groundbreaking Big Apple Connect program, the nation’s largest municipally subsidized program of its kind that provides access to free internet and basic cable TV to 330,000 New Yorkers living at 220 NYCHA sites.
“In today’s digital age, access to the internet, devices, and digital literacy is not a luxury—it is a necessity, said Mayor Adams. “Our administration remains committed to bridging the digital divide and with today’s $2.4 million investment, we are ensuring that every New Yorker has the tools they need to thrive. We are meeting New Yorkers where they are—expanding computer labs in our libraries and older adult centers across the five boroughs—to provide critical resources and advance equity across our city.”
“From day one, the Adams administration’s efforts to bridge the digital divide have centered on the immediate needs of underconnected New Yorkers,” said CTO Fraser. “Today’s publication of the NYC Digital Equity Roadmap announces new initiatives and investments that build upon our strong existing foundation and create the conditions for long-term success. Our focus remains on the fundamentals of digital equity: equitable access to internet, devices, and digital skills training. I am grateful to all of our city agency partners who contributed to this roadmap and am confident that our coordinated approach will ensure residents, regardless of background or zip code, possess the tools and knowledge to fully participate in our 21st century society.”
More specifically, the 11 new initiatives in the Digital Equity Roadmap further the Adams administration’s digital equity work while bolstering areas of need, such as digital support and skills training for English learners and non-English speakers and providing increased connectivity for older adults. Led by the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI), the roadmap incorporates programmatic partnership with the New York City Department of Housing and Preservation Department (HPD), the New York City Department for the Aging, the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Service (DCAS), NYCHA, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, Civic Hall, Queens Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and the New York Public Library (NYPL). Action items fall under three key categories: access and affordability; devices, digital skills, and support; and coordination and advocacy.
Access and Affordability
- Providing targeted connectivity and support to older New Yorkers by retrofitting select older adult centers with updated technology infrastructure to support learning experiences.
- Expanding home access for New Yorkers in affordable and public housing by piloting free wireless internet to Section 8 households. In partnership with HPD, internet service is required in all new construction at no additional cost to tenants and free broadband infrastructure and internet service will be financed in 13,601 homes.
- Promoting Big Apple Connect to boost enrollment. To date, more than 120,000 households within NYCHA — roughly 80 percent of eligible households — subscribe to Big Apple Connect.
- Exploring new ways to leverage public assets to provide greater access to home broadband internet, public wi-fi, and other services by issuing calls for ideas, designs, and prototypes.
Devices, Digital Skills, and Support
- Delivering refurbished computers, mobile devices, and other related equipment to eligible organizations in need that will prioritize device access for under-connected communities. OTI will coordinate with DCAS to establish new procedures across city agencies and provide support to create partnerships for donating equipment.
- Investing new capital in public computer centers to address gaps in resources and programming that currently exist, beginning with a set of investments in NYPL branches.
- Expanding tailored technical support in affordable housing communities. HPD and the city’s three public library systems will partner to deploy teams of digital navigators to help residents use online social services; connect with family, friends, teachers and case, workers; avoid digital scams; create accounts and recover passwords; and find reliable information online.
- Expanding the reach of NYCHA’s mobile computer labs by purchasing a new digital van equipped with computer stations and printers. The vans — which have brought connectivity and internet access directly to NYCHA residents since 2012 — are also available at JobsNYC Hiring Halls to help New Yorkers with job search activities and resume printing.
Coordination and Advocacy
- Establishing a Digital Equity Working Group to create greater cooperation and cohesion for citywide efforts, including advocating for important funding opportunities, supporting information sharing across city agencies, and leveraging new resources to invest in digital equity work. The Digital Equity Working Group will include representatives from nearly 25 city agencies.
- Creating a chief digital equity officer position at OTI who will prioritize coordination for funding opportunities and lay the foundation for longer-term planning of digital equity work.
- Conducting a comprehensive assessment of ongoing capital needs for digital equity work to determine where capital investments will yield the biggest impact and commit to fund more projects in the upcoming capital plans.
The Digital Equity Roadmap builds on the city’s suite of digital equity initiatives, aimed at making sure every New Yorker has the connectivity they need to participate in an increasingly digital society. Other efforts include the city’s Gigabit Centers, which provide free connectivity and digital literacy training to community centers, and OTI’s “Connected Communities” program, a large-scale digital inclusion initiative that delivers digital literacy and employment resources in historically-underserved areas for thousands of New Yorkers every year.
Today’s announcement builds on Mayor Adams’ ongoing efforts to bring the city’s infrastructure into the 21st century, remain on the cutting-edge of technology, and make high-speed internet more accessible to all New Yorkers. Last month, Mayor Adams and CTO Fraser announced a new agreement for T-Mobile to serve as the major carrier to support city operations, saving city taxpayers millions of dollars over the five-year deal on city-issued mobile devices.
New York City provides more residents with free internet access than any other city in the nation, and supplies equitable access to devices, digital skills training, and additional support programs to ensure New Yorkers across the five boroughs are equipped to use the internet. The city’s multi-pronged approach to bolstering digital equity centers around increasing access to free internet, devices, and the skills-training necessary to effectively use these digital tools. The city offers more than 450 public computer centers across the five boroughs, where residents can get online and take part in digital literacy programs. New Yorkers and visitors to the city can also access free internet, nationwide calling, and emergency services through more than 2,000 LinkNYC kiosks located on public sidewalks across the five boroughs. This vast collection of free digital resources is unparalleled among American cities and is particularly important because an estimated 10 percent of New Yorkers still lack a computer at home.
Featured image credit: DepositPhotos.com
