On the one-year anniversary of the Big Apple Connect program, coordinators say it’s grown to connect about 150,000 households in public housing to internet providers.

 

A 2022 study from the American Immigration Council found that one in 13 New Yorkers don’t have internet access. And people who earn less money are even less likely to have access in what experts are calling “the digital divide.” A year ago, the city launched Big Apple Connect as a way to tackle this problem, bringing free Internet and cable television to around 90,000 families living in NYCHA facilities.

 

Just last month, Mayor Eric Adams announced that Big Apple Connect was expanding to 17 new sites, including the Kingsborough Houses in Brooklyn and the Morrisania Air Rights Senior Houses in The Bronx.

 

Residents can benefit from monthly savings on 300 Mbps internet connectivity + basic cable TV. Additionally, NYCHA residents are able to use their credit for the federal Affordable Connectivity Program—$30 per month on either internet or cell phone service—toward their cell phone, further extending cost-savings they can use on groceries and other bills. 

 

If you live in a NYCHA building, you’re already eligible! To find out how you can enroll, click here.

 

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