Broadband Access Still a Challenge in Rural Affordable Housing

Although broadband internet access has increased in much of the U.S., nearly 1 in 4 rural Americans still say it is a major problem in their community. Broadband access also remains a challenge for residents of affordable rental housing. These properties may have no internet access or only limited access in community facilities. In many urban areas, affordable housing developments without broadband access are often near homes that have service coverage—meaning that adding the connection for the affordable housing development wouldn’t require high cost or effort for an internet service provider (ISP)—but this is not always the case in rural areas. When looking at solutions to bring those households online, policymakers and partners must address the dual challenge of extending broadband access to the community at large and then ensuring that residents are connected to that service.