LA Mayor Launches Massive Initiative to Restore Brightness to City Streets

Eunyoung Lee
By Eunyoung Lee

LA Mayor Launches Massive Initiative to Restore Brightness to City Streets

The LA Solar Streetlight Replacement Project is officially underway as Mayor Karen Bass signed Executive Directive 18 to address the city’s persistent lighting outages and public safety concerns. This massive infrastructure initiative aims to replace or repair up to 60,000 streetlights using solar-powered technology, targeting areas plagued by copper wire theft and long-standing maintenance backlogs.

LA Solar Streetlight Replacement Project - Dark street on Wilshire Blvd
A stretch of Wilshire Boulevard, between Alexandria Avenue and Harvard Boulevard, remains dark around 10 p.m. on March 24, 2026, due to broken streetlights. The newly launched LA Solar Streetlight Replacement Project aims to resolve these persistent outages caused by copper wire theft and maintenance backlogs. Photo by Sang-jin Kim.

Addressing Copper Theft and Infrastructure Backlog

The project is a collaborative effort between the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and the Bureau of Street Lighting (BSL). Over the next two years, the city plans to clear a backlog of more than 32,000 repair requests.

“Basic infrastructure like streetlighting is a key factor in how safe residents feel in their city,” Mayor Bass emphasized during the signing. Currently, about one in ten streetlights in Los Angeles is out of order. The transition to solar power is a strategic move to deter copper wire theft, which has surged by over 1,200% in the last decade. Because solar units do not require extensive underground copper wiring, they are far less vulnerable to vandalism and significantly cheaper to maintain.

Impact on Koreatown and Local Neighborhoods

The LA Solar Streetlight Replacement Project will bring much-needed relief to neighborhoods like Koreatown, where residents filed 1,457 repair reports last year alone—a 16% increase from the previous year.

By implementing solar technology, the city expects to:

  • Prevent Crime: Eliminate the incentive for copper wire theft.

  • Increase Efficiency: Contribute to the city’s goal of 100% clean energy by 2035.

  • Improve Response Times: Reduce the current maintenance backlog through more durable lighting solutions.

Funding and Next Steps for Property Owners

To ensure the long-term sustainability of the LA Solar Streetlight Replacement Project, the LA City Council approved an ordinance to secure maintenance funding through property owner assessments. Starting this week, the city will mail out 500,000 ballots to residents to vote on a proposed fee that would be included in property taxes.

The final decision will be determined following a ballot count scheduled for June 2. If approved, the funding will support the maintenance of approximately 225,000 streetlights across the city, ensuring that the new solar upgrades remain functional for years to come.

BY EUNYOUNG LEE [lee.eunyoung6@koreadaily.com]

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