TO: Napa County Housing Commission
FROM: Jennifer Palmer, Executive Director
REPORT BY: Alex Carrasco, Project Manager
SUBJECT: Grant Funding for the Calistoga Farmworker Center Wi-Fi Network
RECOMMENDATION
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Update on grant funding for the Calistoga Farmworker Center Wi-Fi Network.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On July 1, 2025, the division of Information and Technology Services (ITS) submitted an application on behalf of the Housing Authority (Authority) to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to pilot project to procure, install, maintain, and manage a new Wi-Fi network with high speed internet service for all residents of the Calistoga Farmworker Center (Center). The collaboration between ITS and the Authority is a result of data from the 2024 Napa County Farmworker Housing Needs & Impacts Assessment Report (FHNIA), which illustrated the digital divide between farmworkers with access to communication technology such as Wi-Fi and those who do not. Only 36% of all survey respondents indicated that they have access to Wi-Fi where they live.
On December 19, 2025, staff were notified by ITS that the grant funding was approved by the CPUC. The total project cost is $47,463, including $29,113 for the purchase and installation of the new network, and the remainder amount of $18,350 for maintenance and management for five years. The grant is predicated on factors such as: (a) a commitment by the Authority to start the project within 30 days upon grant approval and completion of the project within 12 months, (b) not charging residents for broadband services, and (c) fulfilling reporting requirements.
Next steps include the Board of Supervisors accepting the grant and respective budget amendments between ITS and the Authority. The opportunity to bring Wi-Fi to the Center will improve the quality of life for farmworkers by providing access to online resources such as education, healthcare, employment and housing opportunities.
PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. Public Comment
3. Discussion
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
In September 2013, Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1299 which expanded the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) and added a fourth account (Broadband Public Housing Account (BPHA)), to the CASF program dedicated to broadband access and adoption in publicly supported housing communities.
AB 1299 made not more than $20 million available in grants and loans to a publicly supported community, to finance a project to connect a broadband network to that publicly supported community (infrastructure projects) and not more than $5 million available in grants and loans to a publicly supported community to support programs designed to increase adoption rates for broadband services for residents in that publicly supported community (adoption projects).
In 2021, Governor Newsom signed SB 156 which revised the BPHA to expand eligibility to include publicly supported housing developments, and other housing developments or mobile-home parks with low-income residents, and to make funding available to low-income communities to finance projects to connect broadband networks that offer free broadband service that meets or exceeds state standards, if the low-income community does not have access to any broadband service provider that offers free broadband service that meets or exceeds state standards.
The county owned farmworker centers have historically had minimal or no Wi-Fi access for the lodgers due to lack of resources and funding. Currently, the Authority provides lodgers with Wi-Fi access, however, the connection is limited to the cafeteria and does not extend into the dorm rooms. Additionally, the connection is not equitable - less than a third of lodgers can access the connection at one time. California Human Development (CHD) manages the day to day operations at the centers and has a service agreement with a local internet provider. This internet service is only available to CHD staff.