New York City has introduced a new initiative aimed at providing free or low-cost internet to thousands of low-income households in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan. The three-year pilot program, known as Liberty Link, is expected to bring high-speed Wi-Fi to approximately 2,200 households across 35 affordable housing buildings.
Mayor Eric Adams announced the launch at the Bronx Library Center on Wednesday, July 23rd, symbolically powering up a router to mark the rollout of the program. Backed by $3.25 million in funding, primarily sourced from the federal CARES Act, the program builds on the city’s earlier Big Apple Connect initiative, which has already delivered broadband access to more than 330,000 New Yorkers living in NYCHA developments.
“Whether it’s finding a job, filling a prescription, or applying for child care, the internet is no longer a luxury; it’s an essential service,” Mayor Adams explained during the event. “Liberty Link will build on the success of Big Apple Connect and give over 2,000 more households the free internet they need.”
Liberty Link is a partnership between the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the New York Public Library (NYPL). NYPL will oversee the installation of fiber infrastructure and building-wide Wi-Fi networks. The city expects the first installations to begin by the end of 2025 in the Bronx.
HPD Acting Commissioner Ahmed Tigani underscored the importance of access. “Many were struggling with spotty service, rising costs, or had no reliable access at all—and we knew we had to act,” he emphasized.
The initiative also includes HPD’s Neighborhood Tech Help, a digital literacy program offering one-on-one support to help residents navigate online services. Roughly half of the project’s funding will be allocated to minority- and women-owned businesses for the installation and maintenance of the network.
City officials hope the pilot will serve as a model for a broader citywide expansion if successful.
