The Houston Housing Authority and Comcast Partner to Provide Affordable Internet to Low-Income Residents

Houston, TX, September 30, 2011 --(PR.com)-- A partnership between the Houston Housing Authority and Comcast seeks to close the "digital divide" by offering public housing residents increased access to broadband services, computers and digital literacy training. Beginning this month, HHA’s residents are being offered drastically reduced rates for home Internet services, low-cost computers and free Internet training.

"This partnership with Comcast is an exciting step forward for the agency and our residents," said Tory Gunsolley, Houston Housing Authority President & CEO. "We are always looking for ways to provide our residents with the tools they need to be successful in today’s economy. This new venture will open up new opportunities for many of our residents."

The services will be integrated into the Housing Authority’s Neighborhood Network Program and Comcast’s Internet Essentials Program. The Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the Housing Authority the competitive Neighborhood Network Grant to fund the Neighborhood Network Program. The Neighborhood Network Program offers residents opportunities to utilize technology resource centers located at five of HHA’s properties for computer training, job placement, after-school tutorial, life skills training, literacy and job training. The Internet Essentials Program is a reduced Internet service that Comcast provides to low-income families.

According to Doug Guthrie, Senior Vice President for Comcast’s Houston Region, "The Internet is a great equalizer and a life-changing technology. Internet Essentials helps level the playing field for low-income families by connecting students online with their teachers and their school’s educational resources and by enabling parents to receive digital literacy training so they can do things like apply for jobs online or use the Internet to learn more about healthcare and government services available where they live."

The Houston Housing Authority provides affordable homes and services to more than 55,000 low-income Houstonians. The agency and its affiliates own and operate 25 housing communities with about 5,500 units for families, elderly and disabled residents as well as mobile voucher programs that serve over 16,000 low-income households. More information about HHA can be found at www.housingforhouston.com.

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