Mayor Eric Adams has announced Liberty Link, a three-year pilot program designed to provide free or low-cost internet to over 2,200 households in affordable housing across the Bronx and Upper Manhattan.
Launched on July 23rd at the Bronx Library Center, the initiative will deliver high-speed Wi-Fi to 35 buildings, backed by $3.25 million in funding—mostly from the federal CARES Act. The program builds on Big Apple Connect, which has already connected more than 330,000 NYCHA residents to broadband service.
Mayor Adams called internet access “an essential service”. They stated that the new Liberty Link program will extend free Wi-Fi to over 2,000 additional households, helping working-class families save on a basic necessity.
The program is a joint effort between the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the New York Public Library (NYPL), which will oversee the installation of fiber and building-wide networks. Initial installations are expected to begin by the end of 2025 in the Bronx.
HPD Acting Commissioner Ahmed Tigani highlighted the need for intervention, citing unreliable service and rising costs as persistent barriers for many residents.
Liberty Link also includes a digital literacy component, Neighborhood Tech Help, which offers personalized support to help residents navigate online services. About half of the project’s funding will be directed to minority- and women-owned businesses for network setup and maintenance.
If successful, the city plans to expand the model across other boroughs.
