City of South Bend releases Digital Equity Roadmap
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Residents in South Bend can now see how the city is increasing city-wide access to the internet through the new Digital Equity Roadmap.
The website, which will be updated regularly to reflect new goals and achievements, outlines what the city is doing right now to increase equity and what benchmarks leaders hope to hit in the future.
“The Digital Equity Roadmap lays out how the City and its partners will work together to ensure every resident has access to the opportunities in our new economy,” said Mayor James Mueller. “Expanding the use of technology will help propel our city’s growth and competitiveness into the future.”
In August, Mayor Mueller issued an executive order calling on the city to be a "Broadband Ready Community" and expand internet options in the area.
Along with the roadmap, the city also established the South Bend Connectivity Coalition, a task force of local organizations working to improve access to digital infrastructure to all South Bend residents, according to its website.
“This is just the beginning. There’s so much more work to come,” said Chief Innovation Officer and Head of the Department of Innovation & Technology Denise Linn Riedl. “Over the next several years, leveraging both local funds and federal grant dollars, the City will be putting the Digital Equity Roadmap into action. We invite any nonprofit and community institution to join our efforts via the South Bend Connectivity Coalition.”