$22 Million Retrofit Program to Expand High-Speed Internet Access in Affordable Housing Statewide

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) at MassTech announced the launch of the Residential Internet Retrofit Program, a $22 million statewide initiative to equip public and affordable housing units across the state with high-speed internet for current and future residents. MBI will bring together Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and property owners to upgrade in-building telecommunications wiring, equipment, and infrastructure within older housing developments to provide residents with the necessary network capabilities to fully utilize high-speed internet service essential for daily activities such as communicating with friends and family, remote work, online educational opportunities, and telehealth appointments.  The effort will involve updating the wiring infrastructure of approximately 22,000 units in affordable housing developments across the state. The funding for the Retrofit Program comes from the US Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund (CPF), a program launched as part of the national American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The project is part of $175 million in total CPF funding overseen by the Executive Office for Administration and Finance to address the digital divide in Massachusetts, which includes the ongoing Gap Networks Grant Program launched by the MBI in October 2023.