The plan to raise the city’s garbage collection fees was approved by the city council in 2024-2025 as the city faces an incredible budget gap of nearly $1 billion.
If approved, the city will adjust its rates for the first time in 17 years.
On a 10-1 vote, the city council allowed the Department of Health to begin the process under Proposition 218 with the aim of updating fees for garbage collection services, officially known as the Solid Resources program.
Among other requirements, city authorities must adopt ordinances to achieve rate adjustments.
Council members John Lee, Imelda Padilla, Torshi Park and Monica Rodriguez were absent during the vote.
“I know this is a difficult thing to do for the city of Los Angeles,” Councillor Nitya Raman said.
Unlike what happened in the past.”
Council President Marquis Harris Dawson confirmed he was a member of the city council when he last decided to “kick the can” with the proposal. He added.
We are now turning our backs on the wall as a city and as a council.”
The Department of Health requested that the monthly fees for single-family homes and double-family buildings be increased from $36.32 to $55.94. This increased by 54%.
Rates for 3-4 units of apartments range from $24.33 per month to $55.94, up 130%.
If rate adjustments go forward, the bimonthly bill from the Customer’s Water and Power Department could jump to $111.90. City officials are aiming to begin raising fees on January 1, 2026. DWP only provides billing services, and sanitation establishes fees for garbage collection and sewage services.
Rate adjustments will increase by an additional 18% over the next four fiscal years, reaching $65.93 a month by 2029-30 for single-family homes, double-layered and small apartment buildings. The rate adjustments will affect approximately 743,000 households and an additional 474,000 residences receiving bulky item collection services.
The department will also raise the fees for additional bins in 2026 as follows:
– Rejection container (60 gallons) increases from $10 to $15.65
– Recycled containers (90 gallons) increase from $0 to $11.24
– Organic Containers (90 Gallons) increase from $7.50 to $16.28
– Fertilizer container (60 gallons) increases from $10 to 23.81
Currently, apartment buildings with 5 or more units will pay in full.
Barbara Romero, general manager of the Department of Health, also known as La Sanitation and Environment or Lasan, said the program is operating at a loss that requires grants from the General Fund. She also quoted
Overheads such as inflation, staff salaries, maintenance of vehicles and equipment, and rate adjustments.
It also needs to close with a reduced general fund grant for programs that are expected to cost $555 million in 2025-26.
“The $36.32 fee maintained the program from 2020-21 until it was initially subsidized by the General Fund, which increased to over $200 million over five years,” Romero said.
The grants in 2024 were $134.4 million, and in 2025, it increased nearly $230 million from $89 million.
It also helps cities to comply with SB 1383. This requires 75% of the organic waste to be diverted from landfills. In 2023, the city launched an organic recycling program, detouring organic food scuffs and food-manufacturing paper products from landfills by placing such waste in green containers.
The program collected an average of 720 tons of recyclability per day, 1,610 tons of organic waste, 15 tons of fertilizer and 3,910 tons of residual waste in fiscal year 2023-24.
In 2008, organic cost $40/ton/ton in 2025. This jumped to $122/ton in 2025. The annual cost of organic recycling is approximately $66 million. Recycling generated $6 million in revenue in 2025, resulting in a cost of $19 million in 2025, hygiene officials reported. In 2008, the new truck cost $246,000, and now it’s $500,000, with a 103% increase in cost per truck.
Lasan has a fleet of 720 heavy-duty vehicles that collect and run around from the San Fernando Valley, West Los Angeles, North Central, South Los Angeles and Harbor areas.
The city has signed HF&H consultant to investigate fees. Rate adjustments were the results of their findings.
Councillor Hernandez, chairman of the Public Works Commission, said the issue was about fairness.
“To pay for this program for the past few years, the city has relied on the General Fund to cover the gap and float the program,” Hernandez said.
New rates will place cities along nearby cities such as Burbank, Culver City, Long Beach and Santa Monica, but they will still be at the bottom.
The Department of Health is expected to launch a vast outreach campaign with webinars, advertisements and pop-up events. Voting will be mailed to affected residents later in the process.
Jack Humphleville, a member of the Neighborhood Council Budget Advocate, a watchdog organization, criticized the city’s plans in an interview with City News Service, adding, “It’s just a bit of a problem.”
“The problem is they don’t give us any background information,” Hanfreville said.
$225 million over two years? That’s a 3 increase. There is no financial information. There is no income statement. There is no balance sheet. How much debt do they have? There’s nothing about the efficiency of their operations.”
Rate adjustments are subject to Proposal 218 and require two hearings for affected property owners.
Proposal 218 is a constitutional amendment that limits the way local governments can collect taxes, fees and claims without the consent of taxpayers.
According to John Coopal, chairman of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which sponsored Prop 218 in 1996, the law has a requirement that “restrict the use of funds, as well as funds.”
The amount of the fee for each property owner or fee payer.
Local authorities must also mail information about the proposed fees to all property owners, have a hearing at least 45 days after mailing, and reject the proposed fee if the majority of affected property owners are presented with a written protest.
“We will monitor the city to comply with both the substantive and procedural orders of Prop. 218,” Koopal added.
The city’s plan to raise trash fees comes as they face a deficit of nearly $1 billion and are thinking of thousands of layoffs. Mayor Karen Bass is set to release the proposed budget on April 21st.
“The LA mayor and city council mismanaged cities into a nearly $1 billion budget deficit, including recklessly agreeing to affordable labor contracts and recklessly agreeing through policies that drive businesses from cities. Taxpayers will bail out of Los Angeles.”
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