June 8, 2026 The WiFi4Homeless Campaign applauds the passage of S.8026-A / A.1755-A by both houses of the New York State Legislature. The campaign thanks Senator Kristen Gonzalez and Assemblymember Reyes for their leadership in passing this legislation. The legislation requires temporary housing facilities across the state to provide residents with internet access that meets baseline standards for speed, net neutrality, and data privacy. The Campaign now calls on Governor Hochul to sign the bill into law. Passage marks a turning point for the tens of thousands of New Yorkers living in shelters who have long faced significant barriers to finding permanent housing and employment, attending telehealth appointments, completing schoolwork, and accessing public benefits and the courts — all of which increasingly require reliable internet access. The legislation builds directly on the State’s recent funding commitment for this purpose. In May 2026, Empire State Development announced an investment of up to $20 million to bring internet access to homeless shelters statewide. With this legislation, the Legislature has established the enforceable framework needed to ensure that investment delivers consistent, statewide results. The Campaign urges Governor Hochul to build on her administration’s commitment by signing the bill into law. “After years of work and advocating with the Wifi4Homeless Coalition, my bill S8026A to provide internet access to all individuals residing in temporary housing passed both chambers of the NY state legislature!” said Senator Gonzalez. “Reliable WiFi means being able to apply for housing and jobs, access healthcare and benefits, attend school, and stay connected with loved ones. Earlier this year, the Governor announced a $20M investment in this effort, and I look forward to working with her again to get this bill signed! I’m proud to pass legislation closing the digital divide and ensuring that every New Yorker has access to the tools they need to pursue a dignified life. Thank you to VOCAL-NY, Coalition for the Homeless, Assemblymember Karines Reyes, and all the impacted New Yorkers who shared their stories to support this bill.” “Over 117,000 New Yorkers wake up in a shelter every single night — and until now, the state had no obligation to ensure they could get online. The digital divide is not abstract; it is the difference between finding an apartment and remaining houseless, keeping a job and losing it, accessing medical care and going without,” said Assemblymember Karines Reyes, R.N., prime Assembly sponsor of this bill. “People in temporary housing are not asking for anything extraordinary; they are asking for what every New Yorker with a roof over their head already has. This legislation establishes an enforceable baseline because our neighbors’ dignity is not negotiable. Senator Gonzalez and I fought hard alongside a coalition of advocates who refused to let this issue stay invisible. Now, Governor Hochul must finish the job.” “Today’s vote is a victory for tens of thousands of New Yorkers living in shelters. Searching and applying for jobs, accessing benefits, connecting with a lawyer — these are essential activities for individuals experiencing housing instability, and without reliable internet access, they become extraordinarily difficult. This bill changes that,” said Elizabeth Kocienda, Director of Advocacy at the New York City Bar Association. “We are grateful to Senator Gonzalez, Assemblymember Reyes, and our partners across the state for their leadership, and we urge Governor Hochul to sign this bill into law.” “We are grateful to Senator Gonzalez and Assemblymember Reyes for their commitment to ensuring that people living in shelters have reliable access to the internet,” said Alison Wilkey, Director of Government Affairs and Strategic Campaigns at the Coalition for the Homeless. “Internet access is a necessity for people experiencing homelessness – for apartment and job searches, accessing and maintaining benefits, medical care, connecting with legal counsel, completing homework, or simply staying connected to friends and family. Reliable connectivity makes these everyday tasks possible, and its absence makes them so much harder. We urge Governor Hochul to sign this bill into law.” “The state legislature’s decisive action to ensure internet access in New York homeless shelters will help close the digital divide for community members and open the door to life-changing healthcare, education, employment, and housing opportunities,” said Daniel Schwarz, Senior Privacy and Technology Strategist at the NYCLU. “Whether it’s submitting rental applications, applying for jobs, completing homework, accessing government services, or navigating the legal system, in our digital age, reliable internet access is everything. We urge the Governor to sign this bill immediately to ensure every person in temporary housing has access to reliable, privacy-preserving, and high-speed internet.” “This campaign came from people in shelters and advocates who have experienced the challenges the lack of internet connectivity causes, so it’s about time we see it progress,” said Milton Perez, Leader in VOCAL-NY’s Homelessness Union. “To many people, it may seem like there are more important things than this, but it shows how broken the system is when something so simple is so hard to get for those who need it most. When I was in the shelter, I had to go to the train station just to get WiFi to apply for housing. I also needed the internet for job searches, to reach family and friends, and for entertainment—just like everybody else. Thank you to our bill sponsors Senator Kristin Gonzalez and Assembly Member Karines Reyes for their leadership and persistence on this campaign.”
