Language Access Report 2026

This overview presents the key findings and recommendations of the 2026 Language Access Ordinance (LAO) Summary Report, covering the period from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, the fiscal year immediately following the passage of amendments to San Francisco’s LAO in June 2024.

All the required Departments submitted their LAO compliance report to OCEIA by the deadline. Department compliance data show record-high numbers of Limited English Proficient (LEP) client interactions, translated materials, telephonic and in-person language services, as well as an increase in certified bilingual staff and language access budgets. These increases may reflect City departments’ work to meet the needs of LEP and immigrant communities at a critical moment, as well as improvements in data collection and reporting. They also may reflect Departments’ work to implement the new amendments to the LAO. For example, the increase in translated materials may indicate progress toward meeting the new requirement to translate vital digital information and signage; and significant increases in Vietnamese translations reflect the City’s preparation for the anticipated certification of Vietnamese as a required language. (The City’s required languages meet the Substantial Number of LEP Persons threshold of 6,000 LEP individuals in San Francisco.)

Despite the progress made in the previous fiscal year, there is still work to be done to implement the LAO amendments and ensure that important City information and services effectively reach all San Franciscans. Given the increases in LEP client interactions, the upcoming implementation of Vietnamese as a required language, and technological advances in the field, OCEIA recommends that Departments budget for language services and plan for new language implementation; support City and community-based language access services; recruit, hire, and retain bilingual staff; leverage community-focused use of technology with qualified human oversight; and train public-facing staff in Departmental language access policy.