San José Mayor and Congressman Spread the Word About Program Connecting Low-Income Residents to WiFi
Mayor Matt and Congressman Panetta go door to door and host event in partnership with San Jose’s Libraries to increase digital access and equity in San José
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2023
Media Contact:
Tasha Dean, Chief Communications Officer, Office of Mayor Matt Mahan, tasha.dean@sanjoseca.gov
SAN JOSÉ, CA - Today, San José Mayor Matt Mahan, Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and Councilmember Bien Doan went door-to-door in the Edenvale neighborhood, informing residents about SJ Access – a program designed to improve digital access and equity through free WiFi. They later hosted an event at the library where residents could learn more about how to get connected.
“Our job as elected officials is to make life better for our residents, and far too often, we have services, resources and programs that simply don’t reach the people who need them the most,” said San José Mayor Matt Mahan. “Reaching out to our working families where they’re at is the best way to make sure they have the information needed to save money and get connected.”
At a press conference during the event, the elected officials shared new data about how much this program has saved residents, and shared that over 30,000 households are eligible, but not yet enrolled in San Jose.
“Although part of the 19th Congressional District is in Silicon Valley, I’ve found that there are still too many people in the area that struggle to afford reliable internet access that can lead to divisions in educational and career opportunities” said Rep. Panetta. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we made major investments to provide discount internet services for many working families across California’s 19th Congressional District, including those in South San Jose. However, passage of legislation is one thing, implementation of the law is another. With the help of the Affordable Connectivity Program and hard work of local leaders, like Mayor Mahan, we're able to ensure that our federal legislation helps bridge the digital divide with affordable internet services for our local neighborhoods and neighbors.”
SJ Access, launched by San José Public Library (SJPL) in 2020 and funded in part via the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program, was designed to help residents keep up with the increased use of distance learning, working from home, and telehealth in response to the pandemic by addressing the three A’s: access, adoption, and affordability. Residents who apply can borrow WiFi hotspots for home use, laptops, and tablets. Additionally, tech support and digital literacy classes are available for residents to help them better utilize the technology available. In the last 6 months, this program has saved working families in San Jose over $4.7M.
“For over a decade, the San José Public Library has been the largest provider of free public Wi-Fi and computer access in Northern California,” said City Librarian Jill Bourne. “Throughout the Pandemic, we launched the City's SJ Access digital equity initiative and have since built eight community Wi-Fi networks reaching over 200,000 residents and have lent more than 30,000 tech devices. However, we know that the most sustainable internet service residents can have is an in-home internet connection, which is why we encourage residents to apply for the ACP. We have built a trusted network of community-based organizations ready to provide one-on-one assistance for free.”
SJPL has collaborated with the Santa Clara County Office of Education to distribute 12,800 hotspots to families with children in K-12 schools in San Jose who lacked sufficient connectivity at home. Additionally, the Library is currently working with the City’s IT department to establish free neighborhood-based WiFi in an equitable fashion, and 3,000 hotspots are available for checkout to SJPL members. Residents interested in acquiring tech devices or enrolling in digital literacy courses are encouraged to visit the SJ Access website.
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About the City of San José
With nearly one million residents, San José is the largest city in the Bay Area and one of the nation's most diverse and creative. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center in the heart of Silicon Valley has resulted in the world's greatest concentration of technology talent and development.
About California’s 19th Congressional District
California's 19th congressional district stretches from south San Jose in Santa Clara County, into the hills of Santa Cruz, down the coastline of Monterey County, and into northern San Luis Obispo County. Rep. Jimmy Panetta has represented the new 19th Congressional District since it was created in 2023.