California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) Public Housing Account
California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) Public Housing Account supports low-income California communities by funding broadband connections that provide residents with free service meeting state standards.
Funder: California Public Utilities Commission
Due Dates: January 1, 2027 (batch deadline) | July 1, 2027 (batch deadline) | Rolling (applications accepted anytime)
Funding Amounts: Up to 100% of eligible installation costs; $28.141 million allocated for fiscal year 2026–2027
Summary: Supports broadband connections that provide free, standards-meeting service to residents of California low-income communities.
Key Information: Projects must serve communities without access to free broadband that meets state standards and must be exempt from CEQA.
Description
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) administers the California Advanced Services Fund Broadband Public Housing Account. It provides grants and loans to connect low-income communities to broadband networks that offer residents free service meeting or exceeding state standards. Eligible communities include publicly supported housing, farmworker and tribal housing, other housing developments, mobilehome parks, and qualifying census block groups.
The account supports two kinds of work: infrastructure within housing developments, such as inside wiring and network equipment, and Internet Extension projects that connect communities to a broadband network. Its updated rules expanded eligibility beyond publicly supported housing and added eligible interconnection, backhaul, and other connection costs. Adoption and digital-literacy projects are funded through a different CASF account.
