Matthew C. Fraser
0:32:25
So I think when we talk about Big Apple Connect, it's important to get back to the grassroots of why we did it.
0:32:32
Working very closely with council, council members like yourself and council member Julie Yuan.
0:32:38
One of the first housing developments that we deployed Big Apple Connect at was Queensbridge Houses.
0:32:45
When we provided the service, one of the things that we set as a cornerstone is that the service had to be provided like heat and hot water.
0:32:53
When you walk into public housing, you don't ask for heat and hot water, it's given as a human right.
0:32:58
And today connectivity is that necessary that it's like running water.
0:33:02
It's like heat, you need it.
0:33:04
So when we did Big Apple Connect, the goal was to get the service out and get it to people as quickly as possible without putting a tax on them to pay for any part of it.
0:33:15
If many of you are familiar, during the time when we launched Big Apple Connect, the federal ACP program was available so people could apply and get access to services.
0:33:23
Since the launch of Big Apple Connect, that program has been defunded.
0:33:28
And it seems like we've, as as an administration, made a lot of smart decisions by standing this up at a time where it was critical because little did we know a year after we put it in place, the people that were dependent on it would lose it.
0:33:42
Our intention is to keep Big Agribble Connect the way that it was structured initially and be available to those that live in public housing, those that live in city provided housing to have access to services at no cost.
0:33:55
In addition In to public housing, it's important to note that we also cover connectivity in city run family homeless shelters
