CPUC Approves Broadband Grants for Digital Literacy Programs and Public Housing Development Projects

July 24, 2025 - 

SAN FRANCISCO – The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today provided $1.2 million in grant funding through the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) Broadband Adoption Account to support 10 digital literacy projects across California. Additionally, the CPUC awarded $224,050 in grant funding for four broadband infrastructure projects through the CASF Broadband Public Housing Account (BPHA) to provide free, high-speed internet service to 95 residential units in Kern and Santa Cruz counties.

Digital Inclusion Efforts
The CPUC authorized $1.2 million in grants through the CASF Broadband Adoption Account to support 10 digital literacy projects across California. These projects, led by Building Skills Partnership, Digital Equity West, and EveryoneOn, are expected to provide training to 1,831 individuals in underserved communities.

Grant details include:

  • $211,895 to Building Skills Partnership for its Digital Literacy and AI Program Expansion (500 participants)
  • $793,081 to Digital Equity West for eight digital literacy projects across Los Angeles County (1,031 participants)
  • $175,564 to EveryoneOn for its Digital Connections program in Central, East, and South Los Angeles (300 participants)

These efforts will help Californians, particularly low-income, senior, and limited-English communities, gain the digital skills they need to navigate online services, access education and job opportunities, and subscribe to broadband for home use.

The CASF Adoption Account enables community-based organizations to increase digital inclusion by providing after-school and public access programs, devices, and curriculum-driven training across the state.

Expanding Access Where It’s Needed Most
The Broadband Public Housing Account infrastructure projects approved today are spearheaded by the Housing Authority of the County of Kern and New Horizons Affordable Housing and Development Inc. The projects will deploy wireless point-to-multi-point infrastructure to deliver broadband speeds of at least 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload in the counties of Alameda, Los Angeles, Orange, Sacramento, San Diego, and Santa Clara. Service will be provided to residents for free for a minimum of five years.

Grants awarded today include:

  • $112,500 to the Housing Authority of the County of Kern for its Village Congregational Community project in Arvin (60 households)
  • $44,400 to New Horizons for 160 Blackburn St. Apartments in Watsonville (14 households)
  • $49,900 to New Horizons for 179 Montebello Dr. Apartments in Watsonville (16 households)
  • $17,250 to New Horizons for 1223 Broadway Apartments in Santa Cruz (5 households)

These public housing developments serve low-income residents, many of whom currently lack access to reliable internet service. The deployment of free broadband infrastructure will support public safety, enable access to online education and government services, and foster digital inclusion across the communities.

 

The CASF BPHA provides grants to finance up to 100 percent of broadband infrastructure installation costs in publicly supported and other eligible housing developments. Projects must meet strict performance and equity criteria, including the provision of free broadband services to residents and ongoing network operation for a minimum of five years. Established to address the digital divide in public housing developments, the CASF BPHA is one of six public purpose programs funded by a surcharge on telecommunications services. The program supports last-mile infrastructure buildouts and internet extension projects that bring high-speed broadband to communities most in need.

 

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The CPUC regulates services and utilities, protects consumers, safeguards the environment, and assures

Californians access to safe and reliable utility infrastructure and services. Visit www.cpuc.ca.gov for

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