City of Chicago Strategic Broadband Planning Request for Information

More than 206,000 Chicago households (approximately 17%) don’t have internet at home, and over 115,000 (roughly 10%) don’t have a computer. Over the past two years, Chicago has made historic progress in tackling digital disparities. Despite this progress, there is still work to be done to address the racial and economic disparities behind the digital divide. Communities with the lowest rates of internet connectivity are also those where more than 88% of residents are Black, and where the average median household income is less than $30,000. The City of Chicago seeks ideas on how the private sector, philanthropic foundations, and non-profits can leverage City real estate assets and Chicago Recovery Plan resources to ensure every household has an affordable, quality broadband option that meets their needs. Specifically, Chicago seeks to:

1. Identify how City resources (including real estate assets and Chicago Recovery Plan funds) can be made available to increase affordable residential broadband connectivity
2. Identify creative solutions and potential purpose-aligned partner organizations
3. Design initiatives that use federal and state funds to increase broadband connectivity