Mayor Bass Approves 60,000 Solar Street Lights to Address LA’s Backlog and Theft Issues
Los Angeles to Upgrade 60,000 Streetlights with Solar Technology
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced on Wednesday a significant initiative to enhance the city’s street lighting system by replacing approximately 60,000 streetlights with solar-powered models. This effort aims to tackle the ongoing issue of streetlight outages impacting neighborhoods citywide.
The executive order signed by Mayor Bass establishes a partnership between the Department of Water and Power (DWP) and the Bureau of Street Lighting (BSL) to facilitate the assessment and installation of these solar lights. Currently, about one in ten of Los Angeles’ 220,000 streetlights are out of service, contributing to safety concerns in numerous areas.
"This initiative takes meaningful action to fix thousands of our city’s broken lights and restore visibility where it’s been missing for far too long," said Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez. Both financial and technological aspects are crucial to the initiative’s success. Funding includes a $65 million investment led by the City Council, alongside a proposed increase in property assessment fees for the first time since 1996.
The new fees are expected to generate approximately $125 million to help address the existing backlog of 32,000 repair requests and combat copper wire theft—an issue exacerbated by the outdated infrastructure that traditional wired systems rely on. "Angelenos expect reliable city services, and right now the city is falling short. This investment allows us to move faster on repairs while addressing the root cause of repeat outages," Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky commented.
While city officials aim to complete the installations within the next two years, the long-term funding strategy beyond the initial $65 million is still under discussion. The proposed assessment fee increase will go through a Proposition 218 process, allowing property owners to engage and potentially contest the tax.
As the city prepares for this ambitious project, the Bureau of Street Lighting will draft an implementation plan, outlining key timelines and the staffing necessary to support the initiative. In the immediate future, residents expected to be affected by the assessment fee hike will receive notifications regarding ballot proceedings. As part of the "initial surge," Los Angeles plans to install at least 500 solar lights across each Council District.
This initiative marks a vital step in modernizing city infrastructure while prioritizing public safety and sustainability.
