TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to work with Technology and Innovation (TI) Department and community stakeholders on a plan and return to the City Council, within 90 days, detailing the following:
· Current processes for the disposal of City-owned computers and technology;
· Recommendations from staff on how to increase the number of computers in the hands of families in underserved neighborhoods while reducing electronic waste;
· Work with Technology and Innovation Department, I-Team, Economic Development Department and Technology and Innovation in conjunction with nonprofit partners like Human-i-T;
· Detail existing and/or potential Incentives (rebates, write offs etc.) in place at the City, County, State level etc., for business to donate their technology to local nonprofits;
· Work with Human-i-T, Pacific Gateway, and other partners in the business and nonprofit sectors to provide support with training, wiping of refurbished computers etc;
· Inventory of publicly available computers at city facilities in underserved neighborhoods experiencing the digital divide;
· Digital inclusion activities that engage intergenerational residents (children to seniors) such as email, digital archiving of physical files (photos, address books, Skype etc.).
DISCUSSION
One of the main factors contributing to the digital divide is a lack of affordable technology. With the average computer costing in the range of 400-600 dollars 1, purchasing a computer is not always feasible for all residents.
Over the last few years the City of Los Angeles has rolled out Ourcycle. Ourcycle is a program in which the City of Los Angeles has entered into a public-private partnership with various businesses and nonprofits to accomplish the task of refurbishing salvage computers from City facilities and redistributing them to underserved families. Since the program's inception in 2015 thousands of computers have been diverted from e-waste facilities and/or landfills.
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