This article was originally published by LAist on Dec. 10, 2025.
Long Beach was recently recognized as one of the country’s top digital cities for its digital equity work and programming, something officials say is an effort that won’t lose steam in 2026 despite federal funding cuts.
The survey was from the national research and advisory institute, the Center for Digital Government, which focuses on policies and practices in state and local governments. Long Beach was among five cities nationwide to grab high marks in the Digital Cities Survey, which looks at how local governments use technology to address social challenges.
Lea Erikson, Long Beach’s director of technology, credited the recognition to the city’s approach to digital equity.
“We’re not relying on federal funds to advance our work. And so even though it does definitely minimize what we can do, I’m really proud of what we have been able to do despite that,” Erikson said.
Why was Long Beach named?
Over the years, the coastal L.A. County city has grown into an epicenter for digital equity to grant more residents access to the internet.
According to the survey, the city advanced digital equity, among other things, through programs such as its “Pitch Long Beach!” — an initiative that allows the public to submit pitches on how to implement and explore technology as a way to improve city services.
Long Beach has also partnered with the California Emerging Technology Fund to launch a multilingual internet service enrollment hotline to help residents navigate telehealth, job searching and online learning.
“One of the things I think makes Long Beach a leader in this space is we have a dedicated staff to digital inclusion, and they’re not dependent on federal funds, so they’re actually funded by local government resources,” Erikson said.
Why are programs at risk?
In May, the Trump administration canceled the $2.75 billion Digital Equity Act, which the president called “racist” and “illegal.”
The cancellation put a stop to programs all over the country, including digital courses for seniors and laptop distributions in rural areas.
The Federal Communications Commission voted in September to end E-Rate discounts to libraries and schools for hotspot lending and school bus Wi-Fi. Officials said the initiatives “exceeded” or were “inconsistent” with the commission’s authority. This decision effectively shut off funding for digital loaning programs.
Locally, the repercussions were felt instantly. Los Angeles County Library announced it would sunset its laptop and Wi-Fi hotspot lending programs shortly after the decision.
What are officials saying for 2026 and beyond?
Erikson said federal headwinds won’t stop the city’s digital equity work.
The city is working to create its own fiber-optic network by 2027 to offer free Wi-Fi in public places in an effort to save residents money and get them online.
“We’re hoping to have that go out to bid … next year. We would hopefully have that done in about a two-year timeframe, so it might be a little delayed, but we have local funding for that as well,” Erikson said.