The new NYC Digital Equity Roadmap seeks to “advance digital equity for underserved communities across the five boroughs,” according to a statement announcing the push. The city’s chief technology officer, Matthew Fraser, also announced a $2.4 million capital investment to help achieve that goal.
“In today’s digital age, access to the Internet, devices and digital literacy are not a luxury — they are a necessity,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “Our administration remains committed to bridging the digital divide.”
The general idea is to make sure all city residents, especially those from underserved communities, have access to digital and mobile devices, as well as what the statement called “digital literacy skills.” The plan also calls for more support for people who don’t speak English as their first language.
The plan describes such actions as renovated computer labs in libraries and centers that cater to older adults, a free wireless pilot for public housing, delivering refurbished computers and other devices to community organizations and providing tech support personnel to help residents navigate the increasingly tech-focused world.
The city also wants to buy “a new digital van equipped with computer stations and printers,” which could help residents seeking jobs.
A new Digital Equity Working Group would help coordinate such efforts across city agencies, with the new chief digital equity officer responsible for putting together “funding opportunities and lay[ing] the foundation for longer-term planning of digital equity work.”
According to the statement, about 10 percent of New Yorkers don’t have a computer at home.
“In an era where technology advances at the speed of light, we must ensure that all New Yorkers have the tech and digital literacy needed in the 21st century,” said New York state Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar in the statement.
This new program builds off the city’s Big Apple Connect program, which the statement calls the “largest municipally subsidized program … that provides access to free Internet and basic cable service to 330,000” people who live in New York City Housing Authority sites. That program launched in 2022.
