Massachusetts Governor Announces $31.5 Million for Public Housing Internet
Funding will connect more than 13,700 housing units to reliable, high-speed internet service.
WASHINGTON, August 8, 2025 – The governing administration of Massachusetts announced Wednesday $31.5 million in funding to bring reliable, high-speed internet access to residents in affordable and public housing statewide.
Partnering with the Massachusetts Broadband Institute, Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll awarded the funds to four internet service providers: Aervivo, Archtop Fiber, Comcast, and Community Broadband Networks FLX.
The MBI provided the funds through the state’s Residential Retrofit Program, which offers grants to qualified ISPs to address inadequate wiring and infrastructure for the purpose of expanding modern internet service.
“With this funding, we’re making sure low-income residents have the same access to essential services, opportunities, and tools as everyone else, leading to a more connected and advanced economy,” said Ashley Stolba, Massachusetts Interim Economic Development Secretary.
This round of funding – the largest statewide investment in public housing internet yet – will bring reliable, high-speed internet access to more than 13,700 housing units in 60 municipalities across Massachusetts.
Residences will be serviced through the installation of fiber-optic internet infrastructure, customer home-based equipment, and WiFi services, and the upgrades are intended to increase connectivity, reduce cost burdens, and improve digital access for low-income residents.
The program prioritizes projects in federally designated Qualified Census Tracts and properties with high percentages of deed-restricted affordable housing.
“Public and affordable housing residents deserve the same level of connectivity as everyone else,” said MBI Director Michael Baldino. “This funding helps level the playing field and connects families to everything from telehealth to remote learning.”
Aervivo, which received $10.5 million and will service 6,402 housing units, utilizes fiber-grade hybrid networks and offers income-eligible broadband plans of at least 100 * 100 Megabits per second and up to 1000 * 1000 Mbps. In their plans for this funding, they will provide devices, Wi-Fi in community areas, optional bulk service rates, and digital skills training.
Granted $481,955 for 164 housing units, Archtop Fiber will also offer Wi-Fi in community areas, open access network services, and bulk service options. Archtop Fiber specializes in acquiring, constructing, and operating modern fiber-optic networks.
CBN-FLX, granted $7,606,664 to cover 1,514 housing units, has committed to maximizing efficiency and cost-effectiveness by leveraging existing public broadband infrastructure assets. They offer such community benefits as free Wi-Fi in common areas, device distribution, and digital literacy courses.
Finally, Comcast was given $12.9 million to serve 5,179 housing units.
The Residential Retrofit Program itself is funded by the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund, part of the American Rescue Plan Act. The Capital Projects Fund provides $10 billion to states, territories, freely associated states, and Tribal governments for critical capital projects that enable work, education, and health monitoring – addressing challenges that were exacerbated in rural, Tribal, and low-income communities by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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