5 Facts About Affordable Rental Housing That Matter for Broadband

Many residents of federally assisted multifamily—also called affordable rental—housing lack access to broadband service and face persistent challenges in getting a connection. But new federal funding presents opportunities to help families in affordable housing gain high-speed internet and all the benefits that come with it. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act  (IIJA) included billions of dollars to help bring broadband service to more Americans, including those in affordable rental housing. Here are five key things state leaders, internet service providers, and other stakeholders need to know about federally assisted multi-family housing and the people who live in it:

1. "Federally assisted housing” encompasses many property types, and multiple agencies
2. Assistance-eligible households are disproportionately likely to have no or slow internet service.
3. The age of the federally assisted housing stock hinders connectivity.
4. Outdated guidance, low funding, and complex enrollment limit programs’ impact.
5. Federal funding can bridge broadband gaps.