by Chris Danielsen
In December 2025, the Braille Monitor reported on a proposed merger between LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired (LightHouse), based in San Francisco, and the New York-based Lighthouse Guild, as well as concerns raised about LightHouse’s administration of the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP) in California and other concerns and allegations surrounding the agency’s finances and governance. Since that time, significant developments have reshaped the situation—both within LightHouse governance and at the federal level.
After sustained engagement from the blind and deafblind communities, LightHouse announced on December 12, 2025, that its board of directors had voted not to go forward with the proposed merger with Lighthouse Guild. The organization reaffirmed this decision in a December 17 end-of-year communication. The rejection of the merger reflects the impact of organized community response and underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in decisions affecting blind and deafblind people. The proposed merger had raised concerns among stakeholders about programming, service delivery, and the preservation of local control.
About a month later, in a letter to kick off 2026, the board announced that Jennison Asuncion, its chair—who had been a vocal advocate for the merger—will step down effective April 30, 2026. Asuncion’s resignation had been called for by some advocates, especially the Decertify LightHouse Now campaign, but public statements by the agency do not indicate that this pressure or the rejection of the merger proposal played any role in the resignation. In the message, the agency said that “Jennison explained that given the numerous commitments he has on his plate, including: being Vice-Chair of a foundation he helped start, running an annual digital accessibility conference, in addition to his day job, he can no longer give the LightHouse the adequate and dedicated attention it deserves during this consequential period. The board is incredibly grateful for his time and leadership.” Federationists Tim Elder and Jamie Principato Crane continue to serve on the board. Mr. Elder is also president of the National Federation of the Blind of California.
At the same time, LightHouse has resumed its search for a permanent chief executive officer, with Mr. Elder chairing the search committee. The board has indicated that it hopes to have new leadership in place by the summer of 2026. Interim CEO Brandon Cox has been the target of sustained calls for his resignation or dismissal, but LightHouse had already said that it would seek a new CEO following the resignation of Sharon Giovinazzo in early 2025. That search, however, was paused while the merger proposal with Lighthouse Guild was considered. The rebooted search will be closely watched, as the next CEO will inherit both the operational challenges identified in federal proceedings and the broader tasks of stabilizing finances and rebuilding trust with the community.
Meanwhile, a formal complaint filed by accessibility consultant Mussie Gebre, a former LightHouse employee, has now been resolved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In a Memorandum Opinion and Order adopted and released March 25, 2026, the FCC found that LightHouse violated federal rules governing its administration of the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP), also known as the ICanConnect program, which was created by the Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act and is governed by regulations promulgated under that law. LightHouse was the sole certified NDBEDP provider for the entire state of California.
The FCC concluded that LightHouse failed to comply with its obligations in four key respects:
These findings represented a partial victory for the complainant. However, the FCC declined to impose the most severe remedy sought—decertification of LightHouse as the NDBEDP provider for California.
Instead, the Commission referred the matter to its Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau to determine and implement appropriate corrective measures.
That did not end the saga. On April 6, 2026, the FCC issued a public notice inviting new applications for iCanConnect certification in California. The notice informed the public that on March 31, LightHouse had relinquished its certification for its remaining term (which had begun in 2022 and was to last through June 30, 2027) effective June 30, 2026. The notice therefore sought applications for certification of an interim provider to cover the remainder of that term, to be submitted by May 5, 2026.
Taken together, these developments highlight both the power of community advocacy and the importance of federal enforcement mechanisms. The rejection of the merger demonstrates once again that organized blind and deafblind consumers can influence institutional decisions. At the same time, the FCC’s findings confirmed that, at least for a time, service to deafblind Californians under LightHouse’s iCanConnect administration was inadequate. Although the agency did not grant decertification, its findings appear to vindicate the concerns of deafblind Californians who complained about poor service throughout 2022 and 2023, and LightHouse apparently feels that it cannot meet the requirements going forward, or at least doesn’t want the increased oversight.
For the organized blind movement, these events reinforce a central truth: blind and deafblind people must be the ultimate authority on decisions that are made about services that affect our lives. Whether through advocacy at the community level or engagement with federal processes, our collective voice remains the most effective tool for ensuring that programs intended to serve us are administered with competence, transparency, and respect.
As LightHouse moves forward with new leadership and under increased scrutiny, the coming months will be critical. Its board has approved a deficit budget of $8.8 million for FY 2026, with plans to reduce deficits in 2027 and 2028 to $6 million and $4 million respectively while seeking to identify new revenue streams. This will undoubtedly lead to more controversial cuts and decisions, and the new CEO will have the challenge of balancing responsible financial stewardship with continued service delivery. For deafblind Californians, a new chapter will begin when a new entity is certified to take over iCanConnect services in California. The National Federation of the Blind will continue to monitor developments closely and to advocate for outcomes that are truly in the interest of blind and deafblind Californians.