New York Bill Mandating Internet in Shelters Awaits Hochul’s Signature
The legislation would require temporary housing shelters in New York to provide Gigabit speed internet service.
June 16, 2026 – Temporary housing shelters across New York may soon gain access to high-speed internet under a newly passed bill awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) signature.
The proposed legislation, passed by the state legislature on June 5, would require every homeless shelter to have Wi-Fi available in common and private areas, and require shelters to provide internet with upload and download speeds of at least 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps).
In New York City, more than 100,000 people are sleeping in a city shelter. A survey of 200 New Yorkers experiencing homelessness found that only a quarter of them had Wi-Fi in their shelters and less than a third had access to the internet.
Housing campaign manager for VOCAL-NY, Erica Crew said, “To look for housing, to apply for housing, you need the internet.” She explained that Wi-Fi has become such an important part of everyday life and that people in shelters deserve internet access.
Advocates and lawmakers say offering free Wi-Fi will help New Yorkers living in shelters to find housing and work, along with keeping in touch with friends and family. The hope is that greater access to the internet will help people find stability faster and be able to leave the shelter system.
A spokesperson for the governor's office said Hochul is in the process of reviewing the bill, which will require her signature before becoming law. The Department of Social Services is also reviewing the implications of the bill.
Charter Communications and Cox Enterprises announced in May they would invest $3 million to help bring internet access to homeless shelters in New York. The funding is part of a broader $20 million initiative from New York to invest in internet access for homeless shelters across the state.
