Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s (MassTech) Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI), announced $22,260,701 in grants to upgrade internet access for affordable housing units across 54 communities in Massachusetts.
Peabody was one of the cities to be a part of this grant. Public housing operator Winn Properties was the recipient of the grant for Peabody and included 284 units that were upgraded.
The projects will install modern fiber-optic cables in public and affordable housing properties that will increase residents’ access to high-quality, reliable and affordable broadband service. The provider was Aervivo Inc., which received $20,113,689 out of the full amount given for 15,063 housing units.
“Aervivo Inc.’s Connectivity Platform enables partners to deploy fiber-grade hybrid networks to small and large communities across the state. In its proposal for the Residential Retrofit Program, Aervivo Inc. offered income-eligible broadband plans of at least 100Mbps/100Mbps and up to 1000Mbps/1000Mbps within each property it serves. Aervivo will also offer multiple community benefits, including devices for residents, digital literacy classes, free Wi-Fi in public areas, and open access network options,” according to a press release from MassTech.
“Massachusetts is leading the nation in its efforts to improve internet access and adoption statewide,” said Massachusetts Interim Economic Development Secretary Ashley Stolba. “The Residential Retrofit Program is a key component of our strategy to upgrade broadband infrastructure statewide and will expand economic opportunity to residents by enabling them to access essential online tools.”
The project is the third and the largest round for the $82 million Residential Retrofit Program. As of right now, the program has awarded $16.7 million in funding, including $6.3 million in December 2024 and $10.4 million in March 2025.
The award announcement is the third and largest round for the $82 million Residential Retrofit Program, which engages with housing operators and internet service providers (ISPs) across Massachusetts. So far, the program has awarded $16.7 million in funding, including $6.3 million in December 2024 and $10.4 million in March 2025.
