The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s Massachusetts Broadband Institute has awarded more than $10.4 million in grants to upgrade Internet access in public and affordable housing in 26 Massachusetts communities, including Salem and Gloucester .
The funding is provided through the agency’s Residential Retrofit Program that works with housing operators and Internet service providers to upgrade broadband infrastructure in public and affordable housing properties.
“The Internet is an essential tool for participating in today’s economy and we are committed to expanding access to every region of the state,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a prepared statement. “Our efforts start with providing access to communities that have been neglected for far too long and empowering them with the tools to expand their network, access essential services and advance their careers.”
The funding will pay for connecting 571 units in the Fairweather Apartments and Loring Towers complexes in Salem, as part of a more than $6.6 million grant to Aervivo Inc.’s Connectivity Platform, which calls for wiring up more than 6,400 housing units statewide.
In Gloucester , the funding will connect 77 units in the LePage Apartments and Pond View Village to broadband Internet, as part of a more than $2.2 million grant to Comcast Cable that calls for wiring up 740 housing units statewide.
“We are pleased to continue our partnership with the Massachusetts Broadband Institute as the recipient of awards under the latest Residential Retrofit program,” Carolyne Hannan, senior vice president of Comcast’s New England Region, said in a prepared statement. “This program will allow Comcast to continue to deliver the best connectivity experience to thousands of residents living in public and affordable housing properties across Massachusetts.”
The broadband funding is the latest round of disbursements from the Retrofit program, which got underway last year. The program distributed $6.3 million in grants in December to connect more than 3,000 housing units.
In January, MBI announced $12.6 million to expand Internet access in 96 cities and towns through its Gap Networks Program, which seeks to connect “unserved” and “underserved” communities to the net.
Funding for both programs comes from the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund through the American Rescue Plan Act.
Massachusetts was listed as the fourth-best state for broadband coverage in 2025, according to a recent report by BroadbandNow Research , which showed more than 98% of the state has access to broadband Internet.
But about 10% of the 2.7 million households in Massachusetts do not have a broadband Internet subscription, according to census figures.
Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao said the program is “making smart, targeted investments to ensure future generations have the critical access they need to succeed in the modern economy.”
“We have made substantial progress in tackling connectivity gaps statewide,” she said in a prepared statement. “When we strengthen Internet access, we expand output, grow businesses, create jobs and make Massachusetts a home for economic opportunity.”
©2025 The Salem News, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
