MAYOR DALEY OUTLINES STEPS TO ELIMINATE “DIGITAL DIVIDE” IN CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS

40 Percent of Chicagoans Have Limited or No Internet Access, City-Commissioned Study Says

Mayor Richard M. Daley today announced new initiatives to help close the “digital divide” in Chicago neighborhoods, guided by a city-commissioned study that says that 25 per cent of Chicagoans are completely offline and that another 15 percent have limited internet access.

“The study tells us that the magnitude of the digital divide separating low-income Chicago neighborhoods is comparable to the rural-urban divide in broadband use,” Daley said in a news conference held at The Resurrection Project, 1814 S. Paulina St.

“If we want to improve the quality of life for everyone, we must work to make sure that every resident and business has access to 21st century technology in their own neighborhoods and homes,” the Mayor said.

Daley said that especially in the current recession, it is more important than ever to work to create and retain good jobs for today and lay the foundation for the jobs of tomorrow.

“In Chicago, we're doing both, starting with making technology more available across our city,” Mayor Daley said.

The mayor announced the launch of:

• A “Digital Excellence Demonstration Communities” program to bring technology resources to underserved neighborhoods, and

• A new “Digital Excellence Action Agenda” that lays out a framework of 32 steps to further narrow the digital divide.

The “Digital Excellence Demonstration Communities” program makes use of nearly $2 million of support from the MacArthur Foundation, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Microsoft Corporation and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation’s New Communities Program to help residents in underserved neighborhoods work together to develop and implement technology strategies that will meet their own neighborhood goals.

Four neighborhoods are participating in the program: Auburn Gresham, Chicago Lawn, Englewood and Pilsen. The Resurrection Project, where the news conference was held, is the lead organization for the Pilsen part of the program.

Working groups have been formed and two “early action projects” are already underway: 

• Pilsen launched a new web portal last week to provide information about services, businesses and events within the Pilsen neighborhood.

• And the Auburn Gresham, Chicago Lawn, and Englewood communities are working with local high school students to create a web portal that will strengthen communication and relationships within and across these three communities.

Longer term strategies from these communities are expected to be completed by the end of summer

Ultimately, the project is expected to bring more technology resources to these communities, primarily in public spaces, and help them accelerate progress towards meeting their own neighborhood improvement goals, whether they relate to education, workforce, small business support, public benefits or other issues.

Daley also announced that Microsoft, the City’s first private sector partner in this program, is donating over $1.1 million in software to help 28 non-profit organizations in these communities update their community technology centers.

“We believe that this program can serve as a model to be duplicated in other underserved Chicago neighborhoods and in other cities around the country,” the Mayor said.

The “Digital Excellence Action Agenda” builds on the vision and the recommendations of the Mayor’s Advisory Council on Bridging the Digital Divide.

It translates those recommendations into projects that will help Chicago:

• Demonstrate the value of technology to those who don’t currently use it.

• Leverage technology to achieve economic growth.

• Expand technology resources in our schools.

• Expand the availability of technology for residents and visitors with disabilities, and 

• Help create a 21st century digital infrastructure citywide.

Daley said the City was guided in developing its plans for eliminating the “digital divide” by pioneering research that it commissioned last year from the University of Illinois-Chicago and the University of Iowa.

The study documents this challenge in a way that no other city has done before, he said, drilling down to the neighborhood level to help learn about technology access and technology use in Chicago, including lack of access to Internet infrastructure and other technology resources, as well as where and why this is occurring.

Major findings include:

• 40% of residents are disconnected or less-connected to the Internet (lacking home access or broadband connections).

• Lack of affordability is the most common barrier to Internet use at home; cost is particularly a barrier for low-income individuals, Latinos and African Americans, but some neighborhoods lack the basic infrastructure needed to connect to the Internet.

• Relatively large numbers of Chicagoans rely on libraries and community technology centers to access the Internet (33% and 16%, respectively)

The UIC-Iowa study and the projects in the four communities are both part of the “Action Agenda” and a number of the other action items are currently moving forward, including a new “TechLocator” on the City’s website and by calling 311 that allows residents to search for places in Chicago that offer free or low-cost access to technology resources and a “TechExpo” October 1 to help connect small business owners with technology to improve their businesses.

“For years, we’ve worked to make Chicago a city where everyone -- regardless of their background, ethnicity, religion or zip code -- has the same opportunity to succeed in life,” Daley said.

“Technology can enhance opportunity, improve knowledge and workforce skills, expand economic development and encourage innovation.

“If we are to compete in the 'new economy' that emerges from the nation's recession, we must end the digital divide that still exists here and in major cities across the country,” he said.