Today, as part of HUD’s ConnectHome initiative to bring high-speed internet to low-income households with school-aged children in HUD-assisted housing, T-Mobile, the City of New York, and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) have committed to do their part to close the digital divide in New York. I joined Mayor Bill De Blasio, NYCHA, and T-Mobile executives to announce that 5,000 internet-connected tablets will be given to families with children living in public housing in the Bronx.

We’ve come a long way since July 2015, when President Obama launched ConnectHome 1,500 miles away from New York in Choctaw Nation. At the time, President Obama stressed the urgency of closing what’s known as the “homework gap.” It’s the digital divide at home that prevents children from accessing the tools and resources needed to be successful at school. At HUD, we know that in a 21st century global economy, this gap is quickly leaving too many folks behind. High-speed internet access is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity.

Today’s announcement reflects the promise of ConnectHome by bringing the private and public sectors together to unlock the power of high-speed internet for low-income families. Each tablet has been donated by our latest national stakeholder, T-Mobile, and will be connected to high-speed internet through sharply discounted service paid for by the City of New York. Together, the commitment will have a tremendous impact, opening the doors of opportunity for thousands of deserving kids and families in New York.

It also builds on tremendous collaboration seen in the 28 ConnectHome pilot communities across the country. internet Service Providers, including Cox Communications, AT&T, Google Fiber, and Comcast, have each extended free or low-cost internet offers that together reach 43 states and hundreds of thousands of public housing residents. In addition, to ensure that families make the most of their new connections, organizations like EveryoneOn, Boys & Girls Club, College Board, Common Sense Media, Best Buy, and GitHub are providing technical training, digital literacy and college prep programs, and devices for newly connected families. From Rockford, Illinois, to Washington, DC, to Kansas City, Missouri, ConnectHome has spurred new innovations in public-private partnerships that are changing tens of thousands of lives.

The federal government has an important role to play in closing the digital divide and creating opportunity for low-income families. Today’s announcement coincides with the completion of two new rules this week that will encourage — and in some cases require — public housing authorities to install high-speed internet infrastructure in new construction and significant rehabilitation projects. And to help communities do more to get kids connected and conduct digital literacy trainings, HUD and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) will deploy a cohort of AmeriCorps VISTA members to support the ConnectHome Initiative throughout the 28 pilot communities.

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet Hayden Stonebarger, a 14-year-old member of Choctaw Nation who was inspired by President Obama’s challenge. He’s a member of the Choctaw Nation Youth Advisory Board (YAB), an organization of students who strive to make a difference in their community. Through the YAB’s work on the local ConnectHome program, Hayden helps connect the elders of his community to the internet and shows them how to access vital resources like ordering their medicine online. These connections also help to bridge generations by empowering elders to share their life experiences and traditional culture with the students, while providing them a regular visit to look forward to. With help from ConnectHome, Choctaw Nation has been able to offer no-cost internet service and devices to all of its residents living in HUD-assisted housing.

As President Obama has said, programs like ConnectHome work because community leaders, nonprofits, and the private sector are all stepping up to do their part. Success will require everyone to be involved and engaged to ensure a bright future for our children. At HUD, we are proud to answer the President’s call to action to open the doors of opportunity to every American.

Ed. note: This is cross-posted on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's blog. See the original post here.

Earlier this week, I traveled to Cleveland, Ohio to speak at the fourth regional forum as part of this year’s White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA). The meeting brought together a wide variety of leaders to work on a common goal: addressing the changing landscape of aging.

Our nation is experiencing an incredible transformation, with 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day. And we also know that the way folks view retirement is changing — it’s no longer looked at as the closing chapter in one’s life, but rather the beginning of a new one.

Secretary Julián Castro speaks at a regional forum in Cleveland, Ohio as part of this year’s White House Conference on Aging, April 27, 2015.

As HUD Secretary, I’ve made supporting affordable and accessible communities for all Americans one of my top priorities. One example is HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, which provide approximately $34 million a year to improve senior centers across the nation; an additional $36 million to offer public services to approximately one million seniors annually; and CDBG funds the rehabilitation of nearly 70,000 single family and multi-family housing units each year, many of them occupied by low-income older adults — allowing them to age in place.

Strong, diverse communities benefit each of us, but they are especially critical for older adults who want to remain active, find affordable housing, and access needed health and social services.

Like many younger generations, they also want access to amenities and cultural opportunities that urban centers offer. The one thing that’s clear is that we need to get this right. If we don’t, not only do we make it more difficult for older Americans to live longer and healthier lives, the costs can be significant — potentially depleting a family’s life savings for basic housing and healthcare costs. Our communities will also lose out on the lifetime of knowledge, skills and experience that older Americans offer.

That’s why we’re approaching this issue through a nationwide conversation — and we need to hear from you. If you want to add your own thoughts to the discussion on healthy aging and healthy communities, visit the WHCOA website where you can share your comments, thoughts, and ideas through the Get Involved section or sign up for updates.

Ed. note: This is cross-posted on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's blog. See the original post here.

Our nation’s most basic duty is to ensure that every child has the chance to fulfill his or her potential. This isn’t the responsibility of one individual or one neighborhood: it’s up to all of us to pave these paths of opportunity so that young people — regardless of where they grow up — can get ahead in life and achieve their dreams.

That’s why My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) is such an important initiative. Launched by President Obama last year, MBK brings communities together to ensure that all youth — including boys and young men of color — can overcome barriers to success and improve their lives. I got to see this work up close during a recent trip to Oakland, California. I joined Mayor Libby Schaaf, City Council President Lynette McElhaney, and other stakeholders for a conversation about efforts that are making a difference in the lives of local youth.

One of the participants was a teenager named Edwin Manzano. The son of a hard-working single parent, Edwin found encouragement and support at the East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC). Thanks in part to the academic and mentoring services offered by the EOYDC, Edwin will become the first member of his family to attend college when he begins his studies this fall at San Francisco State University.

Edwin is grateful for the opportunities that EOYDC afforded him. “Everyone needs a support system,” he says. That’s true whether you are a teenager or HUD Secretary. I was lucky when I was growing up on the West Side of San Antonio. Although it was a modest community in terms of resources, it was rich with folks who took an interest in my future. I had family members, teachers — and even policymakers — who paved a path that allowed me and other young people like me to succeed.

Unfortunately, not every child is as fortunate. That’s why My Brother’s Keeper is so close to my heart. The future of every young person in America should be determined by their heart, their mind and their work ethic. It should never be determined by their zip code.

In Oakland, I talked with 17 young people who have big hopes and aspirations for the future. It’s in our nation’s interest to help them achieve their goals. And we’re committed to doing our part at HUD.

For example, we’ve introduced a Jobs-Plus pilot program that will provide public housing residents in eight cities with intensive employment training, rent incentives and community building focused on work and economic self-sufficiency.

We’re also working on a broadband initiative to ensure that students living in HUD-assisted households will benefit from the life-changing opportunities available through high-speed internet. This project will provide the access to online resources that young people need to succeed in the 21st century global economy.

On the housing front, we expect the recent expansion of our Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) initiative to aid HUD-assisted properties in raising billions of dollars in private sector investment — funding that will be used to secure our nation’s affordable housing future. And recently, our Federal Housing Administration lowered its Mortgage Insurance Premiums to make homeownership more affordable for responsible families, helping them put down roots and build wealth for the future.

But I know HUD alone won’t solve the issues facing America’s youth. These challenges require our Department to maintain longstanding, effective partnerships with other federal agencies and key stakeholders. Most importantly, President Obama understands that My Brother’s Keeper will only succeed if local leaders take his call to action into their own hands.

Folks in Oakland are stepping up to answer this call. During the Community Conversation, I spoke with leaders from Oakland’s nonprofits, philanthropic institutions, and faith-based organizations that are putting our young people on the path to success. Groups like the East Oakland Youth Development Center, the East Bay Foundation, and the Allen Temple Baptist Church are using promising and proven approaches to make a real difference in their communities.

This kind of work is happening all across the nation and will benefit generations of Americans. We’ve got to keep it going by continuing to support our young people. When they succeed, our nation grows stronger, and our future becomes brighter. And by giving everyone an opportunity to reach their goals, we can ensure that the 21st century is another American century.

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When my tenure as Secretary is over, I won't judge my time by how many initiatives my Department has launched, or how many press releases we've put out. I'll judge my tenure by the results -- by how we were able to make opportunity real for families across America.

I'm proud to be serving under a President who shares the same commitment to policies that put everyday Americans first. President Obama has guided our nation out of a historic crisis and into an economy that's picking up momentum. In just six years -- thanks in large part to his actions -- millions of Americans have been able to stay in their homes, and home sales are up by nearly 50 percent.

We're not stopping there. Today, the President announced that he's directing the Federal Housing Administration to reduce mortgage insurance premiums, which will help 250,000 American families buy a home over the next three years.

Thanks to President Obama's actions today, homeownership will be more accessible, and more sustainable for more Americans. Share the news, and take a look at a few charts that show exactly how far our housing system has come:

In 2008, home values were on the decline, but they've been rising for three years now.

New foreclosures are at their lowest levels since 2006.

The number of U.S. homeowners who are underwater on their mortgages -- meaning they owe more than their home is worth -- is down by nearly 10 million.

There's no denying the progress we've made over the past few years, and we will continue working until every responsible, hardworking American is able to own a home.

Find out more about how far we've come, and what the President's newest announcement means for you -- whether you own a home, or hope to own one in the future. And make sure to share the news.

Thanks,

Julián

Secretary Julián Castro
Department of Housing and Urban Development
@SecretaryCastro

As the former Mayor of an urban Promise Zone community, I have a unique appreciation for the passion and dedication local leaders have when working to turn around their communities.

I saw San Antonio’s Promise Zone create new pathways allowing our citizens the chance to reach higher, dream bigger, and reach goals they never thought imaginable. They are about giving folks who have been under served for far too long the opportunity to build stronger neighborhoods and more prosperous lives. I am honored to share this opportunity with other communities across the country as they work to transform their futures.

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Usually, we do things bigger in Texas. But right now, when it comes to covering the uninsured, some of our neighboring states are trying to beat us to the draw. In Arkansas, for example, they¹ve cut the total number of uninsured in the state by nearly 14 percent in just over a month.

There's one big reason for that. Under the Affordable Care Act, states can choose whether or not to expand Medicaid to cover more of its citizens, and Arkansas chose "yes."  If we made that same choice in Texas, it would cover more than one million of our citizens, and save our taxpayers $1.7 billion over the next decade in unpaid hospital bills.

Conservative Republican governors in Michigan and Ohio looked at similar numbers in their states and decided that expanding Medicaid was a no-brainer. I just wish our governor saw it the same way. Because with a stroke of his pen, he could save more than one million of his fellow Texans from financial ruin if they get sick ­ and save taxpayer dollars in the process. And there's nothing foolish about that.

So mayors like me are going to keep working as hard as we can to make sure that Texans can get covered. In the meantime, states that have so far refused to expand Medicaid ought to reconsider and do the right thing. Let's stop denying millions of people health insurance just because of politics.  Let's follow the lead of states that have already insured tens of thousands of their citizens. And here in Texas, let's do it better than anybody else.