News Alert: City of Los Angeles Increases Trash Hauling Fees

News Alert

City of Los Angeles Increases Trash Hauling Fees

By Janet M. Gagnon, Esq.

Chief Corporate Affairs Officer & SVP, Government Affairs

On April 11, 2025, the City of Los Angeles voted 10-to-1 in favor of a proposal by the City’s Bureau of Sanitation, a/k/a, Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment (LASAN) to increase trash hauling fees by 54% to 130%, or to $59.53 per unit per month starting January 1, 2026.  Only Council Member Adrin Nazarian voted against the increase with Council Members John Lee, Imelda Padilla, Traci Park, and Monica Rodriguez being absent from the meeting and not voting.  This increase will impact multifamily properties with four or fewer units that have chosen to obtain waste hauling service from LASAN rather than the assigned franchised private trash hauler under RecycLA as well as single-family properties.

The reason cited by the City for this dramatic increase is to make trash hauling services self-sustaining, so that the fees collected cover all costs incurred in providing the service.  For the last several years the City has been paying the budget shortfall for trash hauling services by using funds from the general fund to cover the gap. 

In 2025, the City used $230 million from the general fund to fill the gap.  This year the City is facing a citywide budget shortfall of approximately $1 billion.  Thus, there is a strong push to have the City’s trash hauling service quickly become self-sustaining. 

This issue was previously discussed shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic ended and delayed because of the financial impacts from the pandemic.  The City has not increased its trash hauling fees since 2008.  The increase will bring the City’s trash hauling fee into alignment with neighboring cities, including Burbank, Culver City, Long Beach and Santa Monica.

In addition to the trash hauling fee increase in 2026, further increases will be imposed over the next four years in order for trash hauling services to become fully self-sustaining.  Below is a list of the planned increases:

Rate Increases

The 2026 increase ranges from 54% to 130% based upon the type of property currently receiving trash hauling service from LASAN.  Currently triplexes and fourplexes are charged $24.33 per unit, per month.  In contrast, single-family properties and duplexes are charged $36.32 per unit, per month.  Now, the City will harmonize the rates so that all owners with 4 or fewer units will pay the same per unit, per month rate of $59.53 starting in 2026.

Prior to these proposed increases in fees becoming final, the City must first send written notice to all impacted property owners and hold a public hearing.  If the majority of all impacted property owners vote against the fee increases, then they would not become final.  However, this is highly unlikely given that most property owners do not bother to submit an objection.

This article is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions regarding your property or specific leasing issues and the requirements of any legal changes described herein, please consult with an attorney.