Digital Inclusion in Los Angeles

There's no doubt that the internet is an indispensable part of our lives. Having access to the internet and digital information is essential for education, economic opportunities, health resources, social services and communication.

Given how important staying connected is, digital inclusion means making sure every person has access to and the ability to use information technology. This includes ownership of a digital device, access to reliable internet, and the technical skills needed to navigate the online world.

Even as we get more connected in 2023, there are still Angelenos who remain disconnected for many reasons. According to the 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 8.7% of households in LA County do not have any access to the internet, and 5.4% of households do not have access to a computer, smartphone or tablet. The ACS is a tool used by the U.S. Census Bureau to track trends within communities.

This lack of internet access and ownership of adequate digital devices is not equally distributed. The 2021 ACS data also shows predominantly Hispanic and Black neighborhoods in the Valley, South LA, and East LA are most impacted by lack of internet access, as designated by the 2021 ACS. Please note: The Census Bureau captures data using the designation "Hispanic" rather than Latino, Latinx, or Latine.

In California as a whole,  the 2021 California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF)  Survey finds that almost 24% of net Hispanic residents and 35% of "Spanish-speaking Hispanics" are either unconnected or under-connected. These gaps are huge compared to their Non-Hispanic White counterparts, who only make up 9% of their total population. Please note: The CETF survey also captures data using the designation "Hispanic" rather than Latino, Latinx, or Latine.

Digital equity is racial equity. To close the racial gap in internet connectivity and digital device ownership, the City of Los Angeles has launched strategic initiatives to bring digital access where it is most needed.

However, experiences with the City's device distribution are not uniform and vary across communities. The City’s efforts support residents through device distribution, expansion of internet service, and digital literacy training. The way residents experience direct services or programs may vary based on access to technology, or comfort level with popular channels of communication, which may reinforce the divide. Many City departments are working to close the information gap, and expand community engagement and outreach.

A brief overview of current City of Los Angeles programs aimed at addressing the digital divide:

In addition to launching more digital inclusion initiatives, it is important for the City to monitor the results of its programs through real data. Through a series of data dashboards, visualizations and maps, we invite you to monitor and evaluate the City's progress in addressing the digital divide.

Scroll to learn what the City is doing to achieve these goals.

The City of Los Angeles and LA County ensure communities have access to the internet by providing free public WiFi access points at libraries, schools, recreation centers, and other public institutions.

The visualization below shows how many of our public WiFi access points are located in areas where internet connectivity is lowest, such as South LA, East LA, and the Valley. However, over 50% of these access points are LAUSD schools which makes these particular connections unavailable to non-students, leaving many residents without public WiFi access. Despite showing similar rates of low internet access, the number of WiFi access points in East Valley and Harbor neighborhoods are much fewer than the number of points in South and Central LA when excluding LAUSD schools.

WiFi accessibility is being expanded through our libraries in these focused outreach areas. Angeleno Connectivity Trust devices and Los Angeles Public Library's Tech2Go WiFi hotspots are distributed across our public library system. Adults who are not part of the LAUSD system can access public WiFi through our City and County libraries, or any of our six parks with free WiFi access.

 Click here to view the full map of publicly available WiFi access points across LA County. 

A Connected City

In partnership with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP), the Bureau of Street Lighting is actively working to bridge the digital divide. Utilizing Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, the Bureau will develop the infrastructure needed to provide basic internet access. The project will focus on areas where the digital divide is high, and more than half of the population has low to moderate incomes. The project is currently in the planning phase and expects to launch its first pilot by June 2023.

The project's objectives include:

1. Provide 300 public Wi-Fi access points in the highest-need communities;
2. Provide connected innovation zones for residents and businesses to build on this access; and
3. Improve equitable and affordable access from telecommunications companies for all residents and businesses.

Small Cells & Street Poles

As the first 5G City in the Nation, the City of Los Angeles is improving broadband infrastructure by installing small cell nodes to our City's streetlights. Through the Co-Location program, Bureau of Street Lighting has installed 3,500 poles citywide equipped with small cells that strengthen cellular coverage for residents and businesses.

The cluster visualization below shows that many of LA's small cell node installations are focused in South and Central LA. However, under-connected areas in the Valley and the Harbor neighborhoods have relatively fewer small cell node installations. Neighborhoods, such as Arleta-Pacoima and Tujunga in the East Valley, have less than half the amount of small cells compared to Downtown LA, showing the gap in connectivity efforts to advancing technology. There could be several factors to explain the unequal distribution, such as varying zoning laws.

 Click here to view the locations of each small cell node in the City of Los Angeles. 

The Angeleno Connectivity Trust (ACT) provides free internet service to students in Los Angeles who are struggling to stay connected online to classes and essential support services.

 The ACT dashboard  shows how the program benefits the most under-connected and disconnected communities in Los Angeles. Areas in South LA, Westlake, Boyle Heights, and the Valley are some of the highest recipients of the program, with over 16,000 devices distributed to K-12 students and adults continuing their educational journeys.

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) is one of the biggest public housing organizations, with more than 9,400 affordable housing units and 14 public housing communities. Residents of these communities often face affordability challenges that prevent regular access to internet services and limit digital literacy.

To address these issues, HACLA has partnered with private and nonprofit partners to advance digital equity efforts. This includes the distribution of computing devices, digital skills training, free internet services, affordable plans, hotspots, and more.

Scroll to learn about two of HACLA's biggest initiatives toward digital equity and inclusion.

To show how Angelenos experience digital inequity in their lives, we spoke to organizers in the Westlake, Pico-Union, San Fernando Valley, and Baldwin Village communities. Some communities state accessibility and affordability as reasons for being disconnected, while others only receive connectivity through school.

With the help of local community-based organizations, Volunteers of America Los Angeles (VOALA), Proyecto Pastoral, and El Nido in Mission Hills, we learned that community-based organizations continue to face challenges when working directly with communities and who are affected by the digital divide. During our interviews, we gained a deeper understanding of the experiences of the populations they serve. We also learned how -- as service providers to people who may lack access to technology and skills to navigate the online world -- they advocate for thoughtful strategies to support their clients.

We learned the following key takeaways from our interviews.

Some communities were aware of the technological resources available to them such as free laptops, hotspots due to LAUSD schools, the media and more. The City's programs have greatly assisted in closing the Digital Divide. However, according to community members, in order to ensure that communities understand the resources presented to them additional support in using these resources is needed.

"There is one thing letting the community know but helping them through it is when the issue comes in. Case management [and] hand-holding is needed in some communities." -Kathi Cervantez, Center Director for Wellness Center

"[There is a need for] someone from the City who could help [VOALA] manage and learn about the responsibility of technology." -Donny Gomez, Program Manager, VOALA

A member of the community expressed that the impact of the City's programs is effective for those who are affected by the digital divide and are utilizing it. However in order for it to be effective for all communities, all communities need to be aware of the resources available for them in an accessible and inclusive way.

"The problem is the way these resources are being communicated by the City. It feels like it is kept a secret!" -Yolanda De La Torre, Program Executive Director, YMCA

The City strives to provide additional support by tracking data and conducting community outreach beyond the digital channel. Through numerous City community-centered programs such as The L.A. REPAIR Participatory Budgeting and Peace and Healing Centers, the City seeks to strengthen government and community relations by emphasizing the importance of public ownership of government resources.

The City strives to do community outreach by addressing the models and programs that are currently implemented like L.A. REPAIR and Peace and Healing Centers. The L.A. REPAIR Participatory Budgeting is a democratic process in which community members decide how to spend part of a public budget, the City emphasizes the importance of public ownership of government resources. Whereas, The Peace and Healing Centers work to reduce the harms of institutional and structural racism by bringing together trusted and equipped Community-Based Organizations, Mental health professionals, Peace-Builders and more.

By having an ongoing dialogue on how to make these initiatives accessible and a community-based process, the City is working to advance racial equity for all by leveling the playing field through community engagement, equity initiatives, and upward mobility programming.

Need Help? Contact MYLA311 by calling 311 to obtain City of Los Angeles information and services.

Use the  GetConnectedLosAngeles site  to find information on accessing low-cost internet, low-cost computers, computer skills training and other resources. The site can be accessed by clicking the link below.

If you or someone you know is in need of digital resources, including internet access, laptops, tablets, technical support and more, please view the list below to see what resources provided by the City of Los Angeles are available to you.

• LAUSD is providing  free internet service to eligible LAUSD families .  The All Families Connected Program will give households 12 months of free internet access. To sign up for the program, contact LAUSD at 213-443-1300 or visit  device.lausd.net/connect .
• The  Angeleno Connectivity Trust  program is focused on distributing free WiFi hotspots to K-12 students experiencing homelessness, in foster care, at-risk youth, students with a disability and those who may have dropped out of school or at risk of dropping out due to lack of connectivity.
•  Check out Chromebooks and wireless hotspots  to access the internet from the LA Public Library or LA County Library.
•  Starry Internet  partners with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) to expand affordable broadband.
•  T-Mobile  offers low-cost internet plans through  T-Mobile Connect  and other programs.
•  EveryoneOn  partners with internet service providers to promote low-cost offers for high speed internet.
•  human-I-T  is a non-profit providing low cost internet as well as low-cost devices to individuals.

•  Check out Chromebooks and wireless hotspots  to access the internet from the LA Public Library or LA County Library.
•  Computers for Classrooms  provides low-cost refurbished computers for individuals or groups.
•  California Phones  offers specialized phones and accessories for mobile phones.
•  PCs for People  provides affordable computers and low-cost internet eligible individuals and nonprofits.

•  LA Public Library's Online Learning and Technology Resources  offers free  online classes  and  technical assistance . From  Tech2Go  to computer  Cybernauts , new skills to new languages, diplomas to tutors and more.
•  Cox Communications Digital Academy  offers computer literacy tips, educational videos, and tutorials to families, educators, community leaders and students.
• Learn how to use computers and the Internet with  human-I-T: Digital Literacy Courses . These courses are completely self-paced computer and internet training, available in both English and Spanish.
• The  Wide Open School: Digital Citizenship Curriculum  provides lesson plans designed for K-12 students across a variety of topics, such as how to safely navigate the internet.