BILL NUMBER: S8026A
SPONSOR: GONZALEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to providing inter-
net access to all individuals residing in temporary housing; and to
amend the New York state urban development corporation act, in relation
to the ConnectAll digital equity grant program
 
PURPOSE OF BILL:
To ensure that all individuals receiving temporary housing assistance
have access to the internet.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 17 of the social services law by adding a new
subdivision m to require temporary housing facilities to provide inter-
net access to all residents. Shelters must provide wireless internet
service in common and private areas and have sufficient strength.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
According to the New York City Department of Social Services, most of
the 450 homeless shelters in New York City do not provide WiFi for resi-
dents. In a 2019 survey of shelter residents by the City Bar Justice
Association, residents detailed their frustrations. Most were either
unable to access the Internet regularly or had to spend their limited
resources on phone plans with data. For residents looking for a job or
housing, or trying to access city resources, being unable to access the
internet is costly. Residents reported that they lost out on jobs or had
to use limited funds to pay for Internet access instead of food or other
essential items. For the estimated 114,000 children who live in shelters
in New York City, being unable to access the Internet has made remote
learning inaccessible. There are countless accounts of students who
received laptops from the New York City Department of Education, but had
no access to WiFi. In some cases, students received WiFi-enabled
devices, but still could not access the Internet for school because of
spotty cell reception in their shelter.
This legislation would require all temporary housing facilities to
provide Internet access to all individuals residing in temporary housing
in their district. That includes, but is not limited to, family shel-
ters, shelters for adults, domestic violence shelters, runaway and home-
less youth shelters, and safe houses for refugees. The costs will be
reimbursed by the Stat through the ConnectAll program.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: S4561A/A0649A: Passed Senate and Referred to Social Services
2021-22: S3593C/A8552B: Referred to Social Services
2020: S9030/A11108: Referred to Rules/Referred to Social Services
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
*1 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/

Statutes affected:
S8026: 17 social services law
S8026A: 17 social services law