Mayor Libby Schaaf
- On Oakland
“High speed internet connectivity is not a luxury. It’s a lifeline that fuels our economy and community. As Mayor of Oakland, I am committed to net neutrality and bringing to my city the broadband infrastructure that helps to connect all of our residents to businesses, vital city services and one another.”
- On Next Century Cities
“The explosive and unprecedented growth and application of internet technology has fueled international commerce and the global exchange of ideas. Like the internet, our cities must transcend jurisdictional boundaries to collaborate in applying this technology in order for our nation to compete on the world stage. This is what it means to be a Next Century City.”
- What Oakland is working on
The City of Oakland is pursuing three key approaches to bring greater broadband access to our city:
- Conducting a five-year master plan for Oakland’s fiber optic network to identify the assets currently in place and to help determine how to develop moving forward.
- Developing a “Dig Once Ordinance” that would allow a creative way for local governments to utilize their public rights-of-way. A Dig Once ordinance facilitates the laying of necessary infrastructure, namely fiber and conduit, to expand broadband service.
- Encouraging innovation and public-private partnerships. Examples include Oakland’s 2014 designation as a Code for America fellowship city and our partnership with BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), the Port of Oakland and AC (Alameda County) Transit to allow fiber sharing.
