RCRC outlines broadband, housing and forest programs and says Alpine County should see fiber by 2027

Craig Ferguson, senior vice president of the Rural County Representatives of California, briefed Alpine County supervisors on RCRC's strategic priorities and affiliate programs, with an emphasis on broadband and housing-support programs for rural counties.

Ferguson said RCRC's Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA) received federal funding and has adopted an open‑access, municipality‑owned model in which the authority builds and owns fiber infrastructure and independent ISPs pay to serve customers. He said Alpine County was allocated approximately $6 million in federal funds under a recent award and that RCRC expects to begin in‑ground construction in Alpine County in 2027 if permitting and vendor selection progress as planned.

On housing, Ferguson described programs from the Golden State Finance Authority and the National Homebuyers Fund that provide down-payment assistance and 0% second‑mortgage options for teachers, first responders and county employees; he said RCRC has used its affiliates to support homeownership and employee retention.

Supervisors asked whether multiple service providers (ESPs/ISPs) would commit to serving Alpine given its small number of hookups and whether the open-access model would ensure residential hookups to premises. Ferguson said the authority's model addresses the expensive infrastructure stage and that competing ISPs typically lease capacity; he said his expectation was that multiple providers could be available but that competition cannot be forced on private companies.

The presentation highlighted related affiliate efforts in forest products, natural-resources management and solid-waste authorities and invited county staff to engage on grant and implementation planning.