Residential Retrofit Program

Housing operators interested in applying to participate in the Retrofit Program can submit an expression of interest through our online form. MBI will collect some basic organizational information along with the addresses which the operator wishes to have considered eligible for the program.  

MBI is coordinating this program with our existing Apartment WiFi program being run through the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. Your property may be eligible for both programs; however, a property may only be supported by one program.  

It is highly recommended that operators submit as many properties as possible as MassTech will be looking at portfolio scale activities. At the same time, smaller operators that meet program eligibility requirements are encouraged to participate as well. 

Preview Form Details (PDF)

Submit Your Expression of Interest

Housing Operators that own and lease affordable housing and meet the following requirements are eligible to submit their properties for consideration under this program: 

• State and federally funded public housing developments. 
• Developments supported by Low Income Housing Tax Credits or other deed-restricted affordable housing developments. 
• Housing developments that serve residents that fall at or below 300% of Federal Poverty Guidelines for household size or income at or below 65% of Annual Median Income (AMI) and households at or below 185% of Federal Poverty Guidelines for household size or income at or below 40% of AMI. 
• Mixed income affordable housing developments will only be eligible if they are located in “Qualified Census Tracts” (QCTs). 
• MBI will not invest in properties where less than 50% of the units are deed restricted affordable unless the property owner can provide sufficient information regarding the long-term affordability of the property and that residents meet U.S. Treasury definitions of “Impacted” or “Disproportionately Impacted”? 
• MBI will not invest in properties where internal wiring upgrades have been made in the past five years or if there is fiber connectivity to the building and unit, or CAT 6 ethernet cabling to the unit.

MBI will validate affordability requirements via pre-defined data accessed from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Livable Communities, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, CoStar, Housing Navigator, and MassHousing. 

MBI will validate wiring eligibility via the FCC’s Broadband Availability Map by ensuring Technology Provided at any given address does not include “Fiber to the premises” and will require awarded grantees to photographically document wiring conditions as a component of execution of work. 

MBI will solicit grant applications through an open and competitive process from Internet Service Providers and other broadband infrastructure owners for fiber construction to eligible properties and in-building and in-unit installation of cabling and related equipment for properties submitted to MBI through the Expression of Interest form. See a list of potentially eligible properties here. 

Grants will be made directly to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for: 

1. Installation of fiber construction into affordable housing buildings;  
2. Installation of fiber or CAT 6 cabling into units within affordable housing buildings; 
3. Installation of smart panels or other needed in unit termination points for improved wiring within affordable housing buildings; and 
4. Other required cabling, RF or telecommunications equipment as required by individual building conditions within affordable housing buildings. 

Click here for additional specific details of eligible and ineligible uses of funds – as defined by U.S. Treasury. 

• A Request for Information (RFI) was posted on March 20, 2024 to collect information to a set of questions which will inform the structure of a formal procurement to award projects to qualified providers. The RFI closed on April 17, 2024.
• The first formal Request for Proposals (RFP)  for this program was announced in Spring of 2024. Quarterly RFPs will be posted with updated eligible locations based on housing operators completing the Expression of Interest Form.
• Round II Request for Proposals (RFP) was posted September 16, 2024.

View Solicitation

MBI will update this webpage frequently with more details as we move through the processes. 

Please sign up for the MBI Newsletter to stay up to date on program developments.

Sign Up Here

The dates outlined below are subject to change pending MBI’s program administration. All program activities under this grant program must be substantially completed by December 31, 2026. The federal interest period will continue through December 31, 2036. 

After July 2024, MBI will update a listing of eligible properties submitted through the online Expression of Interest form on a bi-monthly basis and will publish RFP’s on a quarterly basis. Please check back to this website for ongoing updates.