SUMMARY:

The Infrastructure Deployment Task Force held its third meeting on July 28, 2021, and included representatives from multiple sectors interested in resolving the digital divide in the Los Angeles County region. The task force received an update on the publication from CPUC staff for the commission to approve funding for the LA DEAL to receive designation as the Regional Broadband Consortium for L.A. County. A meeting #2 recap was highlighted, which identified some of the opportunities and challenges for broadband deployment (data availability, permitting issues, innovative strategies, broadband master plans, public assets inventories and unfavored economics).

Action Items

• LA DEAL to share project parameters with the group related to projects to be considered for support

• LA DEAL to provide federal funding information to the task force

Resources

• https://www.deletethedivide.org/

• https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/313bbb513d5e4146a647763c39d9bb46

• https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/cb6759c16c9c4093b5254f065828fb39

• https://laopinion.com/2021/07/26/estamos-cerrando-la-brecha-digital-en-boyle-heigths

Discussion

The task force engaged in a conversation to determine how the task force could best resolve the issues mentioned in the previous meeting and identify projects worthy of CPUC subsidies. The following are the key meeting takeaways:

• We should start by sharing data to determine the communities with the most need. Maps, unfortunately, do not provide the whole picture as it relates to adoption. There are also asset opportunities currently held by cities (e.g., street lighting).

• Delete Divide has an online map provided by GIS to show 20 percent or more divide throughout L.A. County.

• Maps are essential for identifying gaps in areas to build and make a case for broadening broadband opportunities.

• Communities designated by the county for focus:

• SD #1: East LA, Boyle Heights, Huntington Park, El Monte, and South El Monte, Bassett- West La Puente

• SD #2: Compton, Lynwood, Willowbrook, Lennox, Florence-Firestone

• SD #3: City of San Fernando, East Hollywood, Pacoima, Sylmar, Panorama City

• SD #4: Hawaiian Gardens, Paramount, Norwalk, areas of Long Beach, Bellflower, South Whittier

• SD #5: Lancaster, Duarte, Lake Los Angeles, high need areas in Glendale and Pasadena

• Several cities presently pursue wireless or fiber to provide for digital inclusion, especially in the pockets left out.

• ISP shared there is no identification of projects planned to use subsidy dollars.

• Discussion associated with donut-holes/dead-zone near housing developments.

• T-Mobile is partnering with municipalities to support with connection (in the infancy stage).

The federal funding opportunity has short implementation timelines. There are many regional assets (METRO, LAUSD, etc.); so, taking a regional approach is recommended.

The recommendation is to try standardizing the five areas/cities to define a permit plan to address the varying hurdles in jurisdictions (cost-sharing, trench sharing, incentive collaboration). Communities will be engaged and will leverage the open map of street lights and park spaces within the City of L.A.

The Infrastructure Deployment Task Force meets virtually monthly and includes health, nonprofit, education, business, city municipalities, and internet service providers. To learn more, visit: ladeal.org/events.

Meeting #4 is scheduled for Aug. 25, 2021.

Updated: Sep 2, 2021