Mamdani Announces $2 Million to Expand Free Broadband Access
Program will reach more than 700 NYC households this summer and thousands more over two years.
May 4, 2026 – A $2 million expansion of New York City’s Neighborhood Internet program, announced Monday by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, will provide free high-speed broadband to low-income residents in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan.
City officials said the program will serve more than 700 households by this summer and expand to thousands more homes across the Bronx over the next two years.
The initiative, a partnership between the city and the New York Public Library, delivers free broadband to underserved communities with low internet adoption rates.
“Internet access allows New Yorkers to access jobs, find no-cost child care and explore the city they love,” Mamdani said. “With this $2 million investment… this administration is taking a major step towards closing the digital gap.”
The expansion is funded through federal Community Project Funding secured by Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., and will support infrastructure including rooftop equipment, microtrenching, and in-unit connectivity across roughly 50 buildings.
“The digital divide is not abstract, it is a daily barrier for so many families in the South Bronx,” Torres said. “In 2026, being offline means being locked out of opportunity.”
More than 20 percent of families in the Bronx lack internet access at home, and in the South Bronx that number rises to 40 percent, Torres said.
Torres said the investment will bring high-speed internet into thousands of apartments, calling connectivity essential for participation in the modern economy.
The program is part of a broader digital equity strategy to expand access to economic, educational, and social opportunities, city officials said.
“When affordable housing gets built in the city, residents should be connected to the internet,” said Dina Levy, commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
“The Neighborhood Internet initiative will help bridge the digital divide,” Levy said.
Anthony Marx, president of the New York Public Library, said the program supports access to jobs, healthcare, and communication.
The New York Public Library will install and manage the high-speed internet service for participating households.
Earlier this month, analysts said New York City’s reliance on private internet providers has failed to deliver affordable or universal service, urging greater investment in public broadband infrastructure.
Expanding programs like Neighborhood Internet is intended to address those gaps by delivering free, reliable broadband directly to residents, officials said.
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