Legislative Memo on Internet Access in Temporary Housing

Lack of internet access severely disadvantages homeless people across nearly all aspects of life. Without connectivity, they cannot effectively search for jobs or permanent housing, participate in remote education or complete homework, access government benefits and services, or get health care and legal services. The lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have only increased reliance on internet access across all these areas. To allow vulnerable New Yorkers to fall through the digital divide is unconscionable. A.5649 (Reyes) / S.4561 (Gonzalez) would require New York State to provide reliable, privacy-preserving, high-speed internet access to all people in temporary housing. The NYCLU strongly supports this legislation and calls for its immediate passage.