A step closer to universal access to WiFi in shelters

For many of us, internet access in our homes is a given. WiFi is invisible infrastructure, like running water and electricity, that many of us take for granted until it fails and our internet access is interrupted. Access to WiFi is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity. But there are thousands of individuals sleeping in New York City shelters without the same access to the internet because their shelters lack WiFi.

Without reliable internet, people living in shelters face barriers at every turn. Finding permanent housing means searching listings, filling out applications, and communicating with landlords. Looking for work requires submitting resumes, attending virtual interviews, and following up with employers. Accessing public benefits, scheduling medical appointments, enrolling children in school, attending court hearings, checking in with immigration services – all of this happens online now. Mobile data alone can’t support these tasks. It’s expensive, unreliable, and often insufficient for the kind of sustained engagement required to move forward.

There are promising developments that would change this. Recently, Empire State Development announced an investment of up to $20 million to bring internet access to homeless shelters across the state. This investment is in partnership with ConnectALL, the Office of Temporary Disability Assistance, and the Department of Public Service. This considerable commitment is a win for advocates who have been saying for years how important this sort of connectivity is.

While we celebrate this investment, the announcement leaves critical questions unanswered: which shelters will be covered, on what timeline, and to what standard. State funding alone — without a legislative mandate — cannot guarantee that every shelter resident has access to reliable, fast, and privacy-preserving internet. The WiFi for Homeless bill, A.1755 – sponsored by Assemblymember Karines Reyes, and S.8026, sponsored by Senator Kristen Gonzalez – would close that gap by establishing enforceable statewide standards, coverage requirements, and privacy protections.The bill would ensure that connectivity is not just available in temporary housing, but reliable and fast, while preserving users privacy.

This is why the WiFi4Homeless campaign, led by advocates including Coalition for the Homeless, VOCAL-NY, the New York Civil Liberties Union, and the New York City Bar Association have been pushing for guaranteed internet access in all shelters.

As Alison Wilkey, Director of Government Affairs and Strategic Campaigns at the Coalition for the Homeless, put it:

“Internet access is a necessity for people sleeping in shelters – for apartment searches, accessing and maintaining benefits, medical care, or simply staying connected to friends and family.”

The funding announced sets the foundation. Now the Legislature must finish the job by passing A.1755 / S.8026 before the session ends on June 4. For people working to rebuild their lives and find permanent homes, a reliable internet connection can be the difference between staying stuck and moving forward.

You can take action by contacting the Governor, your State Senator, and your State Assemblymember, asking them to guarantee internet access in homeless shelters before June 4.