The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors this week approved a motion by Supervisor Kathryn Barger and co-authored by Supervisor Janice Hahn that directed the county’s Internal Services Department (ISD) to equitably identify internet broadband demonstration sites across all five of the county’s Supervisorial Districts.
Supervisor Barger discussed the necessity of broadband, saying “The internet has become a necessity for youth to succeed in school, and for adults to remain productive while working remotely. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create broadband access for the unserved in our county through this pilot program. Let’s make this multi-million dollar investment count for as many communities as possible, so they are prepared to thrive in the digital realm.”
Los Angeles County’s ISD will invest around $59 million in American Rescue Plan funding to create an infrastructure that delivers fast, reliable, and affordable broadband in the areas it has identified as pilot sites.
Initially, ISD identified proposed communities that are located in the southern and eastern portions of Los Angeles County, and portions of the San Fernando Valley as illustrative examples of potential neighborhoods.
The motion will support efforts to ensure geographic diversity in the pilot locations. In addition, ISD was directed to identify and expand resources available to the county, especially in rural communities, through Federal and State funding. ISD is scheduled to report back to the Board of Supervisors in 30 days with its findings.
[Information via news release from the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger.]
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