CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org

LAWMAKERS AND ADVOCATES CALL FOR THE PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION TO REQUIRE INTERNET ACCESS IN HOMELESS SHELTERS STATEWIDE

ALBANY, N.Y. — Today, lawmakers and advocates stood together in a press conference urgently calling for the passage of WiFi4Homeless legislation (S8026-A/A1755-A), which would require broadband access for residents of homeless shelters across the state. Speakers and attendees included VOCAL-NY, Coalition for the Homeless, bill sponsors Senator Kristen Gonzalez and Assembly Member Karines Reyes, and co-sponsors of the bill. 

Speakers celebrated the recent monetary investment in the demand and emphasized the need for the language of the bill to go along with it. Guaranteed access to WiFi for people in temporary living will mean easier pathways to employment, homes, education, medical care, and family connections. With the required speed and security provisions in the bill, homeless New Yorkers would be able to rely on this service and use it without fear of surveillance. 

“Today, internet access is essential infrastructure. For New Yorkers living in shelters, reliable WiFi can mean the difference between being able to apply for housing and jobs, access healthcare and benefits, attend school, or stay connected with loved ones. No one should be cut off from those opportunities because they are experiencing housing instability.” said Senator Kristin Gonzalez. 

“When someone is fighting to get back on their feet, every resource matters, and internet access is no longer optional. It is the gateway to employment, healthcare, and stable housing. Living in a shelter does not mean living without access to opportunity, yet too many New Yorkers are being left behind simply because the law does not require it. Connectivity is the infrastructure of modern life, and no New Yorker, regardless of their housing situation, should be denied it. This bill closes that gap, and I am proud to stand behind it,” said Assemblymember Karines Reyes, R.N., prime sponsor of the WiFi4Homeless Shelters Act.

“For more people to get out of shelter, we need this resource. Imagine trying to go through your day without internet access. And on top of that, you don’t have a permanent address. You’re trying to work or go to school or find somewhere to live or just stay in touch with your community…Without a requirement of WiFi in shelter, people are missing essential parts of life.” said David Gaynor, leader with VOCAL-NY Homelessness Union.

“Internet access is a necessity for people sleeping in shelters – for apartment searches, accessing and maintaining benefits, medical care, or simply staying connected to friends and family. We commend the Governor’s office and Empire State Development for their investment to bring internet to shelters, but that investment must be paired with the critical privacy protections and guarantees of access contained in A.1755 / S.8026. We urge the legislature to pass this legislation before the session ends and ensure universal access to WiFi service in shelters.” said Alison Wilkey, Director of Government Affairs and Strategic Campaigns at the Coalition for the Homeless.

“New York’s hearty investment in internet access across our state’s homeless shelters will help close the digital divide for residents and open the door to life-changing healthcare, education, employment, and housing opportunities,” said Daniel Schwarz, Senior Privacy and Technology Strategist at the NYCLU. “With this funding, Albany has set the foundation and now we need the mandate for the provision of internet across all shelters alongside critical protections to prevent people from being surveilled and to treat all data equally without censorship. We urge lawmakers to pass A.1755 / S.8026 immediately to ensure every person in temporary housing has access to reliable, privacy-preserving, and high-speed internet.”

“New York has an extraordinary opportunity to ensure that shelter residents are no longer left behind in an increasingly digital world.  With Empire State Development’s commitment of up to $20 million to bring internet access to shelter residents, the funding is in place — what’s missing is the legislative framework to ensure it delivers. The WiFi for Homeless legislation would provide exactly that: enforceable standards, reliable and privacy-protecting connectivity, and a guarantee that this investment reaches the people who need it most. The Legislature has everything it needs to act. We urge them to seize this moment before session ends and pass S.8026-A / A.1755-A,” said Elizabeth Kocienda, Director of Advocacy, New York City Bar Association.

“In today’s world, internet access is not a luxury; it’s essential to daily life. For New Yorkers living in shelters, reliable WiFi can mean the ability to apply for jobs, attend school, access healthcare, stay connected to loved ones, and rebuild stability during difficult times. No family should be cut off from those opportunities because of their housing situation. The WiFi4Homeless legislation is about dignity, equity, and ensuring that every New Yorker has access to the tools they need to move forward. I am proud to support this effort and stand with advocates fighting to close the digital divide for some of our most vulnerable communities,” said Assemblymember Manny De Los Santos, MSW.

“In this day and age, having reliable internet access is absolutely essential. Without it, people cannot search or apply for jobs, housing, social services, and other essential resources. The recent $20 Million Investment by Empire State Development is an amazing first step and will be instrumental in getting this program up and running. I am proud to cosponsor this legislation and I will continue to advocate for the expansion of this important program,” said Senator Lea Webb.

“For New Yorkers living in shelters, the lack of consistent Wi-Fi creates unnecessary added barriers when they are already navigating challenges. Accessibility to reliable internet should not be a luxury. It is a necessity for housing stability, employment, education, health care, and connecting to essential services. I am proud to support the WiFi4Homeless legislation because everybody deserves the tools needed to have a chance to move forward with dignity, opportunity, and privacy,” said Assemblymember Maritza Davila.

BACKGROUND:

In March 2026, an average of 98,671 people slept each night in the NYC municipal shelter system. In the rest of New York State, there were 15,175 people sleeping in shelters on any given night in 2023. State regulations do not require internet access be provided to shelter residents, which makes it difficult for shelter residents to participate in daily life tasks. 

This legislation requires temporary housing across the state to provide residents with internet access, and mandates crucial speed, net-neutrality, and privacy provisions. On May 13, 2026 the Empire State Development agency announced an investment of up to $20 million to bring internet access to homeless shelters, which could crucially fund the requirements put forth by this legislation. 

Internet access is an essential tool that could shorten residents’ stays and facilitate their successful exit into stable housing. Without reliable internet access, people living in shelters face significant obstacles in completing important tasks such as finding permanent housing and jobs, participating in remote schooling, securing public assistance benefits, and receiving medical care. As noted in VOCAL-NY’s 2025 Wi-Fi for All report, without this internet provision requirement in shelters, many residents have also faced unaffordable phone bills, discrimination, and concerns of surveillance.

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