Millions of New Yorkers lack adequate access to high-speed internet. This is in large part because families living in low-income areas are inadequately served by the infrastructure that delivers broadband connection.
The impact of the pandemic has emphasized the importance of digital connection as many vital public services, including medicine, education, and even connections with family, have transitioned to the internet. We all must work to close this gap, and the affordable housing industry has a key role to play.
Studies
have consistently shown that areas with poor internet service rates correlate
closely with areas of high rates of poverty. Additionally, research suggests
that low-income households may need to spend as much as 10 percent of their
monthly budget to acquire home and mobile broadband connection.
The
digital divide in New York is stark. A recent report from Comptroller Stringer found
that 29 percent of all households in the five boroughs lack broadband internet
access. Certain neighborhoods, including Chinatown (50 percent), Ocean Parkway
(46 percent), and East Tremont (43 percent), fare significantly worse than
others. The report also found that New Yorkers of color were less likely to
have broadband internet access.
This
disparity has only made conditions more difficult for low- and middle-income
families during the pandemic underscored the importance of digital connections.
For example, it is significantly more challenging to schedule a telehealth
visit, participate in distance learning at school, or for parents to connect
with teachers for virtual parent-teacher conferences without broadband access.
This
challenge is not limited to New York City: it is a statewide problem. More
than 726,000 school-aged children in New York State
lacking adequate access to high-speed internet, which will complicate plans for
hybrid schooling plans this fall. Building new affordable homes for families
without high-speed internet is an opportunity to expand access to high-speed
internet and close this gap.
The good
news is that some stakeholders in the housing industry are already stepping up
to address this issue. Consider Energy Square, 58-unit mixed-use apartment
complex in Kingston developed by RUPCO. It was developed with broadband in mind
and ultimately connected the building’s residents, as well as other community
members, to modern broadband infrastructure. It is just one example of the ways
in which continued expansion of affordable housing production solves other
related challenges for families in need.
New
Yorkers deserve access to high-speed internet. It is increasingly important to everyday
life, especially during the pandemic. The New York State Association for
Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH) and its members will ensure that as many of our
new developments as possible can help fill the digital divide impacting
families in communities across the state.
