West Hollywood Solid Waste and Sewer Rate Increases Effective July 1st
At this Monday’s June 27th West Hollywood City Council meeting, the Council approved solid waste and sewer service rate increases effective July 1, 2022.
Solid Waste Collection and Recycling Services
The City’s solid waste rate increase was a general adjustment based on the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-LA) for fiscal year 2022-2023, approximately 7%.
The City Council also approved a supplemental adjustment, to cover the costs associated with implementing Senate Bill 1383’s requirements, which will be applied beginning on July 1, 2023, and annually each July 1st through and including July 1, 2026. These supplemental increases are 10.4% in 2023, 7.5% in 2024, 5.3% in 2025, and 3.6% in 2026.
In addition to the annual adjustments described above, there will also be additional fees related to collection of organics-green waste. To alleviate the cost of the new organics service, multifamily customers who subscribe to organics barrel service will receive a discounted rate over a 4-year period with a 100% discount in the first year which is then reduced each year thereafter as follows: 75% discount in year 2, 50% discount in year 3, and a 25% discount in year 4. In year 5, customers will pay the full rate.
The City has an exclusive franchise with Athens Services for solid waste collection and recycling services in the City of West Hollywood. Beginning on July 1, 2022, Multifamily customers with properties of five or more units will be billed directly by Athens Services and will no longer see a charge for solid waste services on their property tax bill.
Sewer Service Rate Increase
The sewer service rate increase is the general adjustment based on the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-LA), not to exceed 7%. The CPI-LA increase for fiscal year 2022-2023 is 7%. The sewer service charge is placed on the property tax roll.
These rate increases are extremely concerning at a time when rental housing providers have been subjected to an over two yearlong moratoria on rent increases that is currently in effect and has continuously banned housing providers, since April 2020, from issuing any rent increases regardless of whether or not the renter is financially impacted by COVID-19. Prior to the City Council meeting, the Association called on the Council to immediately end the City’s rent increase freeze and to recognize the current fiscal challenges and seek ways to assist City residents and property owners including through reductions in the proposed fee increases, establishing incremental phasing in of the proposed increases, and affording City residents and rental housing providers financially impacted by the pandemic rate increase deferments or other financial assistance.