MD Gov. Moore Announces $69M for High-Speed Internet Access for Unserved Marylanders

Governor Wes Moore revealed a $69 million initiative to assist more Maryland residents in getting affordable high-speed internet. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development's Office of Statewide Broadband will oversee two programs, Home Stretch for Public Housing and Home Stretch for Difficult to Serve Properties. These initiatives aim to offer internet access to approximately 15,000 underserved households in Maryland.

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“Getting all Marylanders online is crucial in a society where internet access can determine your job or your child’s education,” said Gov. Moore. “We are grateful for the support of the U.S. Treasury in our efforts to close the digital divide and create a more equitable Maryland.”

Both programs, funded by the U.S. Treasury's American Rescue Plan Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, are the latest additions to the Office of Statewide Broadband's Connect Maryland initiative. This initiative offers financial support to local areas, advancing digital access efforts across the state. Since its establishment in 2017, the Office has invested over $300 million in broadband infrastructure and programs, providing high-speed internet access to an estimated 52,000 homes and businesses that were previously unserved in Maryland.

“These two new programs will help us ensure that in Maryland, the location of your home will not be a barrier to internet access,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day. “With the help of local partners across the state, more Marylanders will have access to affordable, high-speed broadband–a utility that is as important to economic outcomes as water and sewer systems have been for the past 150 years.”

The Home Stretch for Public Housing program, with $45 million in funding, aims to enhance broadband accessibility in Maryland's public housing. It will provide funds to local jurisdictions that own public housing units for installing broadband facilities, wireless access points, and other eligible components. The program also includes educational outreach for adoption. This funding will wire around 10,400 multi-dwelling units in the state.

The Home Stretch for Difficult to Serve Properties program has secured over $24 million to support last-mile broadband projects. It focuses on providing high-speed internet access to remote properties that face challenges in obtaining service due to their distance from broadband infrastructure. Grants will be awarded to counties, which will then subgrant funds to internet service providers to establish connections and deliver service. This funding will bring broadband service to 4,600 unserved properties in Maryland.

Governor Moore's June announcement secured $267 million from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to bridge the digital divide in Maryland.

For more details about the Office of Statewide Broadband, visit dhcd.maryland.gov/broadband.

Disclaimer: This article is only for informational purposes.