An Electronic Village

The power of an electronic village is undeniable. Users have instant and full access to an immense storehouse of knowledge and the ability to communicate with virtually anyone in the world. Users have virtually unlimited resources to communicate their message, to invoke and coordinate action, and to effect change, change in their lives and change in their communities. But before Edgewood Terrace, no one had thought to locate such technological opportunities in the very place where they could reap the most reward: affordable income communities.

In 1995, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approached CPDC to initiate a demonstration project that would provide access to technology for some residents as part of CPDC's planned renovation of Edgewood Terrace. A major component of any community revitalization is connecting residents to resources. This has traditionally meant access to social services, counseling, loans and education. CPDC envisioned using computer and network technology as a bridge to connect typically underserved inner-city communities with top tier resources. The goal was to create economic opportunity, educational advancement, and a stronger, more vibrant community.

Rather than focus on a small group of residents, CPDC took advantage of thin client technology to wire all the renovated apartments with a high-speed computer network in much the same way modern office buildings are wired. The resulting network is comprised of 792 wired units-the entire Edgewood Terrace "campus"-and an ability to process more than 2,180 simultaneous connections. Though no single funding source can be credited with the creation of Edgewood's Electronic Village and the services available in the community, the substantial, multi-year funding provided through HUD, DOC, and Microsoft Corporation was the key resource that made it possible to complete the eight-year project.

The apartments, once wired, were connected to a residential computer network providing residents with access to the standard business tools of a wired office: broadband Internet access, the Microsoft Office Suite of programs, and, finally, a community intranet known as EdgeNet. To support the use of this in-home technology and assist residents to secure jobs, CPDC created a networked learning center with over 60,000 square feet of networked classrooms where students learn computer, basic education, and career skills. This Learning Center was the primary precursor for HUD's Neighborhood Networks program, which now boasts 1,100 sites nationwide.

Today, the dramatic physical change at Edgewood Terrace is striking and there is a waiting list for apartments. Equally striking is the progress made in income elevation, crime reduction, and significant academic gains for the young residents.

The Edgewood model took advantage of residents' desire to develop technology skills to increase their educational and career prospects and made it easy for them to engage in training programs by infusing technology tools and training throughout the housing complex. The result has been clearly invested members of a redeveloped community--a testament to what can be accomplished through partnerships between corporate entities, government, and invested community developers.

Project Highlights:

• 5 Major Funding Partners: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, US Department of Commerce, Fannie Mae Foundation, Microsoft, and Catholic University.
• Model Project: Over 300 on-site visits including delegations from the Netherlands, South Korea, the Ivory Coast, Russia, Ireland, and France.
• Community Driven: Residents of each connected community have organized and used the technology as a way to communicate and advocate.
• Nearly 800 homes connected and 6 CPDC Learning Centers that provide technology skills in the communities in which they are housed.
• Over 2,400 users touched by technology available to them in the community.

For more information about our Technological Advancement, please contact CPDC.