Delivering Broadband as a Civil Right in Los Angeles

Our report Connecting Communities Countywide is a vision and a policy blueprint for delivering systemic changes to the broadband service marketplace for a more equitable future for Los Angeles with a goal of fast, reliable, and affordable broadband service for all Angelenos.

“Incorporating the voices of many partners working on digital equity, our Blueprint focuses on actions that local and regional governmental entities can take to approach broadband policies through the lens of the public interest in L.A.,”

Jarrett Barrios, Co-Chair of the Internet Action Team of the Committee for Greater L.A. and Senior Vice President, Strategy and Programs, at the California Community Foundation.

The blueprint focuses on actionable recommendations so that everyone in the County adopts broadband service by 2027, and everyone has the means to access high-quality, fiber-based internet services at affordable prices by 2040.

Our Vision

Our Call to Action

“The COVID-19 pandemic revealed broadband Internet service as an essential utility and a civil right, whose broader adoption has the potential to unlock the economic and creative capacity of our County. Now is the time for bold action to unleash the potential of all Los Angeles residents and businesses. With unprecedented funds from State and Federal coffers, a groundswell of community energy and public focus, and plans for billions of dollars in private investment nationally, Los Angeles must not miss this unique opportunity to act in a coordinated manner to deliver more equitable terms of service for all Angelenos.”

We believe that broadband must be considered an essential utility in our policies and
practices. Our Blueprint focuses on actions that local and regional governmental entities can take to support treating broadband as a utility, with broadband policies reviewed through the lens of the public interest in L.A.

L.A. county can and should become a national leader in broadband equity. Now is the moment for bold, progressive action – energy and support are already there for many initiatives, but a unified push is necessary to guarantee everyone benefits from universal broadband efforts. The County, cities, civic institutions, and communities all need to do their part and work together to make the most of the moment.