The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a written acknowledgement of LeadingAge internet access recommendations for affordable housing providers on June 5.

In the agency’s written response to comments submitted by LeadingAge in late 2023, HUD highlighted several of LeadingAge’s recommendations, including the need for more resources and support to bridge the digital divide among older adult households with low incomes.

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More than 23 million U.S. households are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)—including many Department of Housing and Urban Development older adult households, thanks to the work of housing providers. We need your help to protect the critical subsidies that make resident internet access affordable. Without congressional action to extend the program funding, the ACP will run out by April 2024.

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The Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act was introduced on January 10 in the Senate and House. The bill would authorize $7 billion to extend the program at least through the end of 2024. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides monthly $30 internet subsidies to qualifying households, including all Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) multifamily households, will exhaust its funds by April 2024 without additional funding. LeadingAge has worked to ensure HUD residents have streamlined access to the ACP to help bridge the lack of affordable internet in most HUD multifamily housing communities, and we support the bills.

In a January 8 letter to congressional offices, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel pleads for $6 billion in supplemental funding to extend the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) through the end of 2024. The program’s 23 million enrolled households receive a $30 monthly subsidy for internet service. The letter describes a timeline for winding down the critical program, which serves qualifying households, including HUD-assisted older adults. 

LeadingAge strongly supports the ACP and has endorsed bicameral efforts in Congress to continue its funding.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced an official expansion of the agency’s digital connectivity support program, ConnectHomeUSA (CHUSA), on December 19. CHUSA provides technical assistance and peer sharing opportunities for affordable housing communities. HUD is expanding the program for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. Following LeadingAge advocacy dating back to 2021, HUD’s expansion intentionally includes properties participating in HUD’s Multifamily Housing programs.

On November 15, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a new data-sharing agreement with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to enable streamlined eligibility verification for residents of HUD’s Multifamily Housing programs to enroll in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP provides a discount on monthly internet service for qualifying households, which can establish eligibility based on receiving federal housing assistance. After advocacy by LeadingAge and others, the FCC and HUD committed to expanding their data-sharing agreement to reduce the burden on ACP applicants to demonstrate eligibility.

LeadingAge strongly supports expanded internet access in affordable senior housing and will continue to work with HUD, FCC, and Congress to ensure access.  

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced an expansion and restructuring of the agency’s ConnectHome USA (CHUSA) initiative, which aims to bridge the digital divide for HUD-assisted communities, on October 18. LeadingAge previously urged HUD to “make every effort to expand internet capacity across the portfolio for the benefit of both projects and residents,” including by expanding the ConnectHome program. The expansion marks the first time since 2020 that HUD is accepting new properties into the program, and the first time that HUD is explicitly recruiting properties participating in HUD’s Multifamily Housing programs, like Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly.

On April 3, Pew Charitable Trusts published an issue brief titled “Broadband Challenges and Opportunities in Affordable Rental Housing.” The brief is based on interviews with affordable housing and digital equity experts – including LeadingAge’s Director of Housing Operations and Policy, Juliana Bilowich – and calls broadband a “critical service” for health, education, recreation, and well-being for Americans.

LeadingAge submitted comments to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to guide deployment of more than $46 billion in federal broadband infrastructure funds toward affordable housing serving older adults. LeadingAge has made customizable talking points available for similar advocacy with state broadband offices.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced a 60-day transition period from the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB), a short-term, pandemic-era discount on internet services and connected devices, to the newly-authorized Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Most senior housing communities lack building-wide internet access, and many LeadingAge members made significant efforts to enroll residents into the EBB. In comments submitted on December 8, LeadingAge called on the FCC to utilize the implementation of the ACP to fix barriers to participation for HUD-assisted households, including lack of data-sharing between HUD and the FCC, no path for automatic eligibility verification for HUD Multifamily tenants, and challenges with bulk internet provision throughout HUD communities utilizing the discount.