Hello ITA Family,
With Spring on the horizon and the challenging January 2025 Wildfire Response increasingly in our rearview mirror, we wanted to focus our Winter 2024 ITA Spotlight on the work of ITA's Website Services team.
In our lifetime, websites have taken a dominant role in how we live, work, and play. In fact, just last year Amazon's online e-commerce sales actually exceeded Walmart's sales (known for its 10,750 "brick and mortar" stores). The importance of websites and online presence has been critical for the City of Los Angeles. For this reason, the ITA's Website Services team plays a crucial role in maintaining and improving the city's online presence. Their work ensures that residents can easily connect with their government, access essential services, and receive timely news and updates. Here are some key ways they contribute to the City’s online presence.
Development and Management of Key City Websites
One of the primary responsibilities of the Website Services team is overseeing 80 websites on the Drupal platform, including the city's official website, lacity.gov. Their work also extends to maintaining websites for the Mayor, elected officials, and various city departments. By ensuring these platforms remain functional, secure, and user-friendly, they provide Angelenos with a reliable digital gateway to city services and information.
Establishing Website Policies and Guidelines
To maintain consistency and efficiency across all city websites, the team developed and published the City’s official website policy and guideline document. These standards help departments ensure their online presence aligns with best practices and enhances user experience. The team also advises city departments on implementing these guidelines effectively.
Promoting Accessibility for All
Ensuring digital accessibility is a priority for the team. They conduct audits to verify that websites are mobile-responsive and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). By prioritizing inclusivity, they make sure all residents, including those with disabilities, can easily navigate and use city websites.
Leading the .Gov Migration Project
Recognizing the importance of secure and authoritative web domains, the Website Services team is spearheading the .Gov Migration Project. Their goal is to transition all city websites to the .gov domain by January 1, 2029. Since launching the project in June 2022, they have successfully migrated over 100 websites to .gov, averaging almost a new .gov migration per week for the last 30 months. Currently, 100% of elected offices and 80% of city departments have moved their primary website to .gov. This migration enhances trust and security for residents accessing official city resources online.
Responding to Emergencies
The Website Services team plays a vital role in emergency response by ensuring that critical information reaches residents quickly. During the recent fire and windstorm emergency, they collaborated with the Mayor’s Office, CD11, and the Emergency Management Department to develop dedicated website sections for response and recovery efforts. These platforms provided crucial updates and guidance, receiving over a million visits throughout the emergency.
Committed to Continuous Improvement
Through their extensive work in website management, policy enforcement, accessibility improvements, domain migration, and emergency response, the Website Services team remains committed to making the City of Los Angeles more digitally accessible and responsive. Their efforts help ensure that every resident has seamless access to essential services, resources, and information online.
The Team
Website Services Section
Jayson Joseph - Manager
Website Development & Operations Unit
Jess Kapik Chong - Supervisor
Linn Aung
Adrienne Caparaz
Devendar Nayak
Kenneth Pang
Philip Rees
Dustin Rhodes
Peter Rodriguez
Website Design, UX & Support Unit
Balmore Botero - Supervisor
Angelique Bullock
Ishmene Cabral
Collette Del Poso
Crystal Nigo Bravo