New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres have announced a $2 million federal investment to expand free high-speed internet access for low-income residents in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan.
The funding will support the city’s Neighborhood Internet program, a broadband initiative led by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development in partnership with The New York Public Library. The program is designed to bring no-cost, high-speed internet directly into apartments in affordable housing developments.
The initial pilot, funded by HPD, is expected to serve more than 700 low-income households in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan by this summer. The new federal funding secured by Torres will expand the program to thousands more homes across the Bronx over the next two years.
According to Torres’ office, the $2 million investment will cover work including microtrenching, rooftop network equipment, dedicated internet infrastructure and in-unit connectivity for more than 2,000 apartments across dozens of buildings.
Mamdani said internet access has become essential for participation in the modern economy, including education, work, healthcare and public services. Torres described expensive broadband as a “hidden poverty tax” that disproportionately affects families in the Bronx.
City officials said the expansion is part of a broader effort to close the digital divide in underserved communities, where many households still struggle with high internet costs or limited service options. The New York Public Library is also expected to play a role in supporting digital access and community outreach.
The announcement was made at an affordable housing development in the Bronx, where officials said the investment would help families connect to schoolwork, jobs, telehealth appointments and city resources without adding another monthly bill.
For the Bronx and Upper Manhattan, the program represents a targeted attempt to treat broadband as basic infrastructure rather than a luxury service.
