SEATTLE, Wash. — A Garfield High sophomore in the fall, Sumaya Mohamed relies on the internet to help her do well in her Advanced Placement classes.
“We can't afford things like private tutors and stuff so we can use like the internet like google it has all the answers so that could be like our homework helper,” she said in an interview inside the computer lab at the Yesler Terrace Community Center.
Sumaya lives with seven brothers and sisters in the Yesler Terrace low-income housing community. Her family can barely afford the 60 dollars a month they pay for the internet.
Deputy Mayor Hyeok Kim also grew up in low-income housing.
“We have 15 percent of our homes that don't have internet access that represents roughly 93 thousand residents that is unacceptable.”
Today Kim announced that Seattle will benefit from an Obama Administration initiative called ConnectHome.
Now in homes subsidized by the Seattle Housing Authority, Century Link will offer broadband internet for just $9.95 a month for the first year, $14.95 a month afterward.
“This will benefit everyone who lives around me,” Sumaya said.
But this initiative is limited to those in low-income housing.
Devin Glaser is a leader of Upgrade Seattle, which wants the city to create a new utility like City Light to offer everyone broadband internet.
“We showed with a track record of success that we could provide lower rates and better service because you take the for profit angle out of the equation.”
But the city's technology director says a utility would be too costly.
“While we would like to see increased access that particular method just presents a very high financial risk to the city,” Michael Mattmiller said.
Seattle is just one of 28 cities to be selected for the ConnectHome pilot program. The Seattle Housing Authority has roughly 18,000 households that are eligible.
The Housing Authority is not paying directly to subsidize the low-cost internet, but has pledged to make sure that all new and renovated properties are internet ready.
KIRO
