SANDAG Regional Digital Equity Strategy and Action Plan
Recent crises like the global pandemic and severe wildfires have exacerbated the digital divide – or the growing gap between people with and without reliable access to broadband service and an adequate device for connecting to the internet. These disparities have heavily impacted unconnected and under-connected San Diego residents:
- 21% of households earning less than $50,000/year do not have a broadband subscription
- 17% of seniors age 65 and up do not have a broadband subscription
- 20-40% of students in many local districts lack home internet access
- 39% of businesses and 42% of employees reported problems with poor internet access while working at home during the pandemic
In August 2020, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-73-20, directing state agencies to increase access to high-quality broadband statewide. Subsequently, the SANDAG Board of Directors adopted Board Resolution 2021-09 in January 2021 committing to develop a Digital Equity Strategy and Action Plan that leads to rapid broadband deployment and adoption in the San Diego region. Local jurisdictions can adopt similar resolutions to better position the region to take advantage of potential funding opportunities and partnerships (view a sample).
Read the Draft Digital Equity Strategy
