(WNY News Now) As part of her ConnectALL effort, Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a $13.1 million investment to bring high-speed, reasonably priced broadband to nearly 14,000 low-income homes in Buffalo, Rochester, and New York City.
The Affordable Housing Connectivity Program’s initial grant awards, which will provide thousands of lower-income households with high-speed internet, were announced by Governor Kathy Hochul. The Affordable Housing Connectivity Program’s first awards will give an estimated 14,167 lower-income households in Buffalo, Rochester, upper Manhattan, and the Bronx access to broadband service for $10 per month and gigabit-speed service for $30 per month through 2034. 780 structures, some of which are public housing properties and all of which feature affordable housing, will be connected by the $13.1 million in grant financing.
In the current digital era, having access to dependable, reasonably priced high-speed internet is essential for ensuring that all New Yorkers can fully engage in our contemporary economy and society, according to Governor Hochul.In addition to laying fiber and infrastructure, these calculated investments are creating opportunities for economic growth, healthcare, and education. We are building a more connected and equitable New York by providing inexpensive internet solutions to our affordable housing communities and assisting county-led initiatives.
Hope Knight, commissioner and president of Empire State Development, stated that these strategic investments are essential to attaining digital equity throughout the state of New York. We are helping residents in affordable housing, ensuring rural counties have access to contemporary broadband options, and laying the infrastructure needed for communities to flourish under Governor Hochul’s direction. In addition to installing fiber, the ConnectALL program is building stronger, more connected communities that will equip all New Yorkers with the skills they need to thrive in the digital economy.
“This $13 million investment will help bridge the digital divide and make our communities more connected for generations to come,” stated RuthAnne Visnauskas, Commissioner of New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The Affordable Housing Connectivity Program, made possible by Governor Hochul, is enhancing the quality of life for more than 14,000 homes throughout the state by giving all families—particularly those in underprivileged neighborhoods—the resources they require to prosper.
Charles Schumer, the majority leader of the US Senate, stated that having access to fast internet is just as essential to daily life as having power. I’m pleased to announce that I’ve contributed more than $13.1 million to the expansion of broadband infrastructure in New York State, which will increase access to high-quality, reasonably priced internet. Families will be better able to maintain relationships with one another, healthcare, education, and economic opportunities as a result. I made sure there was money for long-term investments like these that would generate well-paying jobs and contribute to the construction of the 21st century infrastructure required to make high-speed internet available in almost every part of the state, regardless of zip code, when I led the American Rescue Plan to passage. Governor Hochul’s efforts to ensuring that all New Yorkers have equitable access to the high-speed internet they deserve are greatly appreciated.
Flume Internet has been given the first round of subsidies under the Affordable Housing Connectivity Program to increase the scope of its service in New York City and launch its service in the Buffalo and Rochester regions. Residents will have access to Wi-Fi-enabled broadband service options from Flume, including 100/20 Mbps for $10/month, 200/200 Mbps for $15/month, and 1000/1000 Mbps for $30/month. Through 2034, such rates will remain fixed. By the end of 2026, all homes will have access to service after the completion of construction on all three projects. Although every property owner has chosen to participate in the initiative, Flume still needs their approval for installations in order to reach every resident. Flume is partnering with local nonprofit organizations to provide comprehensive digital literacy support, including multilingual digital health and wellness programming, community outreach, and workshops. Flume will use fixed wireless to expand the network to every building and develop or purchase an estimated 39 miles of fiber optic infrastructure throughout the three areas.
The totals for the three grants are:
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New York City Region
: $4,573,875 to connect 88 properties across the Bronx and New York counties, encompassing 126 buildings and 4,854 units and approximately 13 miles of fiber
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Finger Lakes Region
: $3,930,473 to serve 51 properties in the Rochester metro area (Monroe and Ontario counties), covering 305 buildings and 4,280 units and approximately 12 miles of fiber -
Western New York Region
: $4,678,197 to connect 39 properties in the Buffalo metro area (Erie County), serving 349 buildings and 5,033 units and approximately 14 miles of fiber
The Affordable Housing Connectivity Program, a partnership between Empire State Development s ConnectALL Office and New York State Homes and Community Renewal, has a goal of $100 million in grants to connect 100,000 homes across the state.The primary funding for the Program comes from the U.S. Treasury Department Capital Projects Fund, established under the American Rescue Plan Act.
The ConnectALL Initiative of Governor Hochul
Governor Hochul has made expanding broadband access a cornerstone of her administration s efforts to create a more equitable New York. Through the ConnectALL initiative, New York State is investing $1 billion to transform the state s digital infrastructure, enhance competition among providers, and ensure that every New Yorker has access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet.
To date, ConnectALL has overseen the successful launch and implementation of several programs to advance broadband access, including:
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The Digital Equity Program
will invest $50 million, including a federal allocation of at least $37 million, to implement the New York State Digital Equity Plan to close the digital divide. The Plan outlines New York s statewide strategy to increase capacity to improve digital literacy and digital job readiness skills, facilitate access to affordable internet and devices, enhance digital privacy and safety and make government services more accessible through the internet.
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The
Municipal Infrastructure Program
has awarded over $224 million for the construction of publicly-owned broadband infrastructure and delivery of affordable broadband service across the state. The program, primarily funded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury under the American Rescue Plan s Capital Projects fund, facilitates a variety of models of municipal broadband, public-private partnerships, and open access networks to provide New Yorkers with affordable, high-quality service options. The Beta
ConnectALL Projects Dashboard
provides details on projects funded by the Municipal Infrastructure Program.
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The ConnectALL Deployment Program will fund internet service providers to reach unserved and underserved locations. ConnectALL released the program s
Request for Applications
for approximately $644 million in December 2024, drawing on federal funding from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, as described in the ConnectALL
Broadband Deployment Initial Proposal
.