NEW YORK — On Thursday, Aug. 21, National Senior Citizens Day, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), in partnership with NYC Aging and the New York Public Library (NYPL) announced the expansion of the city’s pilot project, “Neighborhood Tech Help,” into the Bronx and Upper Manhattan.
According to a NYC press release the program aims to “provide in-person support with internet, mobile devices, and computers at affordable housing developments and older adult centers.”
The pilot program supports the city’s goal of providing one-on-one assistance to Section 8 tenants at eligible affordable housing developments and adult centers. Participants receive personalized help with a wide range of needs—from getting online and setting up devices to using digital services and staying safe from online scams.
“At HPD, we recognize that access to technology and the skills and confidence to use technology are no longer a luxury-they’re a necessity,” said Acting HPD Commissioner Ahmed Tigani. “We joined The New York Public Library, NYC Aging, PSS Davidson in the Bronx for National Senior Citizens Day to expand HPD’s Neighborhood Tech Help to Upper Manhattan and the Bronx – two parts of our City which need more resources to bridge the digital divide. The expansion of Neighborhood Tech Help underscores our commitment to ensuring that all New Yorkers, especially those in affordable housing, have the digital tools and skills they need to thrive in today’s world.”
“Digital equity is paramount in today’s world where so much of life is mediated through technology,” said Dr. Brandy McNeil, NYPL’s Deputy Director of Branch Programs and Services. “The New York Public Library has long been committed to closing the digital divide and we’re proud to help spearhead this innovative program aimed at enhancing tech literacy among lower-income New Yorkers.”
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‘Digital deserts’
Speaking at the PSS Davidson Center, McNeil emphasized that digital access is no longer optional—it’s essential for full participation in society, whether completing homework, accessing healthcare, or applying for jobs.
“The internet has become a necessity, and it’s a tool for daily life now. And yet, right here in the Bronx, we are riddled with digital deserts,” she said adding that according to a recent report by policy think tank, Center for an Urban Future (CUF), “More than one in five households in the Bronx lack broadband, and a staggering one in three Bronx households lack access to a computer.”
She said that these statistics do not only demonstrate that there is a digital divide in the city, but they also represent a “barrier to opportunity.”
“The New York Public Library had long focused on the digital divide. And while we are proud to provide computer and internet access at 92 of our locations, across the city, we recognize that access alone isn’t always enough. And so, access without understanding how to use technology is another equally significant challenge,” she said.
PSS Executive Director Rimas Jasin said, “We fully support the Neighborhood Tech Help initiative and recognize the necessity to keep older adults engaged and connected through basic technology. Our centers are providing these services on a daily basis.”
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Identified need for tech help for seniors
While seniors today are more digitally connected than ever, many lack the basic skills and knowledge that prevent them from effectively using technology.
“Technology is a great equalizer which enhances one’s economic security, that includes older adults as they age in place in the communities they built and continue to live. This expansion of technology services is a great announcement to make on National Senior Citizens Day,” said Department for the Aging Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez. “The expansion of the Neighborhood Tech Help program will help close the digital divide so more older New Yorkers can benefit from the advances computers, tablets and other devices have given our society. With the right drive and training, older adults are able to keep in touch with family and friends, or to contribute to where they work, and I encourage them to take advantage of this opportunity at their local older adult center or other public spaces.”
In a report titled, “The State of Older New Yorkers,” it says that upwards of 30 percent of older respondents said that they “do not own or have a computer or tablet” and that one quarter of respondents said they “needed help setting up and using technology.”
For nearly one third of respondents, financial barriers prevent them from owning an internet enabled device.
The PSS Davidson Center has been at the forefront of the Neighborhood Tech Help program by “providing digital capacity building to its older adult center members in the Bronx,” reads the press release.
According to early data from the Brooklyn Public Library launch of the program, 33 percent of the program’s initial 2,000 participants were served at older adult centers.
“Older New Yorkers sought support on topics including adjusting smartphone settings and languages, reviewing online bills and bank statements, and using WhatsApp and other messaging apps,” the press release says.
So far, the program has been met with “overwhelming enthusiasm” throughout Brooklyn and City authorities expect a similar response when the program is expanded further into the Bronx and into Upper Manhattan. HPD and the Queens Public Library also plan to announce an expansion in Queens this fall.
