LA County Seeks Bids to Bring High-Speed Internet to Poor Black and Latino Areas

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's $65 billion in broadband funding is fueling a nationwide rush by state and local governments to connect residents to the internet. Los Angeles County (CA) is at the forefront among municipalities with a public-private partnership to offer free broadband internet to its poorest residents in Watts, Boyle Heights, Sun Valley and four other California communities as soon as the end of 2022. These are neighborhoods that are heavily Latino and Black.  The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and the Los Angeles County Business Federation were among dozens of groups and individuals that contended a county-run system would deliver inferior service, and argued for subsidizing low income people, not building new networks to connect them. “By elevating the county as head operator, we place our most vulnerable students, workers, and other community members in the slow lane of connectivity with inferior and unreliable service,” said LA County Business Federation spokesman Chris Wilson. The Board of Supervisors, however, were not swayed by the argument, and voted unanimously in November 2021 to move forward with plans both to back subsidies for lower income people and  build their own system. Now, county officials seek private partners to design, build and manage high speed wireless networks. Companies have until May 13 to submit their qualifications.