SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Today, the Healey-Driscoll administration and Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s (MassTech) Massachusetts Broadband Institute celebrated the delivery of high-speed internet to Bay Meadow Apartments in Springfield. The project is funded through the Residential Retrofit Program, a statewide initiative to upgrade broadband infrastructure in public and affordable housing properties. The funds, initially announced in December 2024, will enable Aervivo Inc. to deploy state-of-the-art wiring that will provide high-speed internet to 148 households. This installment represents the first housing development to get connected through the Residential Retrofit Program, which currently has almost 700 properties enrolled statewide.
“I am thrilled to join the Healey-Driscoll administration in celebrating the delivery of high-speed internet to Bay Meadow Apartments. With much of the American Rescue Plan drafted in the Ways and Means Committee during my time as chairman, I take great satisfaction knowing that this project was the beneficiary of the U.S. Treasury's Capital Projects Fund, which received $10 billion in ARPA funding,” said Congressman Richard Neal. “As we witness continued challenges to Congress’s Article I spending power, this announcement is a reminder of why Congress has the fundamental responsibility of overseeing the expenditure of the public purse. Members of Congress understand the needs of their communities and how federal dollars can best be of assistance. Nearly 150 households across the Commonwealth who will soon have access to high-speed internet will be better off thanks to our efforts.”
“The internet is a gateway to opportunity in our modern economy and we are committed to ensuring all Massachusetts residents have affordable and reliable access,” said Massachusetts Interim Economic Development Secretary Ashley Stolba. “Congratulations to Bay Meadow Apartments and the participants in the Residential Retrofit Program. Public and affordable housing are key priorities in our administration’s efforts to narrow the digital divide across Massachusetts.”
The Bay Meadow Apartments are run by the Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH), which has more than 1,477 households in 13 municipalities currently participating in the Residential Retrofit Program. Aervivo will offer income-eligible broadband plans to Bay Meadow Apartment residents of at least 100 Mbps/100 Mbps and up to 1,000 Mbps/1,000 Mbps within each property they serve. Through this award, Aervivo will also provide laptop devices and will partner with Tech Goes Home to provide digital skills training to Bay Meadow residents.
"Massachusetts is putting its full weight behind broadband expansion by dedicating resources to support places like the Bay Meadow Apartments,” said Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure Quentin Palfrey. “The Residential Retrofit Program is an essential component of our statewide strategy to close the digital divide and to deliver affordable, reliable internet for all residents.”
“This project is an incredible milestone in our efforts to expand internet access across Massachusetts,” said MBI Director Michael Baldino. “Every community deserves the opportunity to participate in the digital economy. By replacing outdated wiring with state-of-the-art infrastructure in places like the Bay Meadow Apartments, we will ensure that digital access is fast, reliable and affordable for residents living in public and affordable housing."
“Aervivo is excited to partner with the MBI Residential Retrofit program to provide affordable, high-quality internet to underserved populations in Massachusetts and beyond,” said Aervivo CEO Mike Hart. “This partnership will offer up Gigabit speeds, free devices, and digital literacy training, enabling residents to fully participate in the digital world. Together, Aervivo and MBI are committed to bridging the digital divide in affordable housing communities across the state.”
"Having access to high-speed, affordable internet will bring enormous benefits to our residents at Bay Meadow Apartments," said POAH President and CEO Aaron Gornstein. "It will help them get information and resources to succeed, whether it is obtaining services for their family or information to help them with their education or job."
MBI's Residential Retrofit Program launched in February 2024 and has since awarded $38.9 million to deliver internet to more than 27,300 public and affordable housing units across Massachusetts. Funding for the Residential Retrofit Program comes from the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund through the American Rescue Plan Act.
Housing operators interested in applying to the next round of the Residential Retrofit Program may submit an expression of interest form by July 31. For more information, applicants may visit https://broadband.masstech.org/retrofit.
About the Massachusetts Broadband Institute at MassTech
A division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) is working to extend high-speed internet access and availability across the state. To achieve this, MBI uses state and federal funding to launch infrastructure expansion programs that target areas of the state that lack high-speed internet access as well as digital equity programs that tackle barriers to internet adoption and increase availability, addressing critical issues around affordability, enhanced public Wi-Fi, the need for internet-enabled devices, and digital literacy training.
Learn more at https://broadband.masstech.org.
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