After lengthy and intense discussions, the San Diego City Council passed the “Solid Waste Collection Fee” implementation bill on June 9, breaking a 106-year precedent of free garbage collection for single-family homes in the city.
Starting from July 1, all single-family households in San Diego will be charged a monthly fee of $42.76 to clear three 95-gallon bins for general waste, recyclables, and organic waste (such as grass clippings or kitchen scraps), regardless of the actual amount of garbage produced, as reported by the city’s news agency.
The city government pointed out that about 85% of residents use this three-bin system; those who do not want to use this system can choose alternative options starting from July. All paying households will receive new trash bins by October. If households choose a larger capacity than necessary in the initial months, they can apply for a reduction and receive a corresponding fee deduction.
Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera stated during the meeting, “This is not a new cost, but a cost borne by residents who have not enjoyed city services for a long time.” The day before the City Council approved the budget for the 2026 fiscal year, he warned residents that the budget was facing significant cuts.
Elo-Rivera and his colleague, Joe LaCava, proposed the “Proposal B” in 2022, allowing the city to charge for garbage collection, transportation, disposal, and recycling (including the cost of trash bins), and requiring short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and “mini-dorms” to start paying for city garbage disposal.
LaCava, the current City Council President, warned before the vote on the 9th, “Tomorrow we are going to consider a budget that needs to cut $110 million. If the garbage fee proposal is not passed, there will be an $80 million deficit in the budget. Do you want to cut $80 million more? I don’t.”
The “Proposal B” was initially passed by a slight margin, with an estimated garbage fee of $23 to $29 per month based on the People’s Ordinance passed in 1919. However, a post-election review by the Environmental Services Department (ESD) found that there were nearly 60,000 fewer households than the initial estimate of 285,000 using city garbage services. Therefore, a cost study released in April 2025 showed that the monthly fee would increase to $36.72 to $47.59, leading to strong public opposition. The city government adjusted the plan by postponing services such as large waste collection and electric vehicle recycling pilots, reducing the first-year rates to $31.98 to $42.76.
Over 100 individuals spoke at the council meeting, with the majority opposing the fees. Many elderly residents expressed concerns about affording the new costs with their fixed incomes or stated that their households generate very little waste. Some residents requested to handle their own garbage and opt-out of city services.
A spokesperson accused the initial promotion of “not exceeding $29” for Proposal B of being deceptive, calling for the City Council to submit it to voters for a referendum. Several lawyers have already filed or are preparing to file lawsuits against the city government for breaching voter trust. Councilmember Marni von Wilpert stated that many people in her district support the fees. However, if they had known the costs would increase, they would not have supported the proposal.
Councilmember Raul Campillo, who voted against the proposal, said, “I believe the version that ultimately passed was not what the residents originally supported in their vote.” He expressed concerns from the beginning that the fee proposal, if passed, would lead to a loss of trust in the council, and the “message from the voters proved that.” Campillo suggested that all future referendum proposals should undergo cost studies to avoid significant estimation discrepancies, referring to it as a form of “bait and switch” tactic.
Currently, the disposal of garbage from single-family homes is covered by the city’s general fund, paid through property taxes by residents regardless of living in single-family homes, townhouses, or apartments. Each year, the city manages around 300,000 tons of garbage and 150,000 tons of recyclable and compostable waste. The People’s Ordinance has been criticized for years because all households contribute to the fund through property taxes (or rent), yet only single-family homes receive free garbage collection. As early as 2009, a San Diego County grand jury ruled that the ordinance was “outdated in a 21st-century society.”
Among the 226,495 affected homeowners, the city government received approximately 46,000 opposing views, well below the 113,000 household threshold that would invalidate the agenda, halting the council’s review. City documents propose allocating $3 million to establish a financial assistance program, offering three levels of subsidies: full subsidies for around 2% of users, 50% subsidies for 3.5% of users, and 20% subsidies for 10% of users. Acting Council Chair Kent Lee stated that this financial aid package is a “key” driver for the garbage collection fee policy.
Councilmember Jennifer Campbell issued a public apology, stating that completing the service cost study required $4.5 million in consultant fees; she emphasized that this was a legal requirement. According to data released by the city government in 2022 alongside the referendum, maintaining current services without charging fees would cost a minimum of $234.7 million from 2023 to 2027.
The garbage collection fee will officially take effect from July 1, and the City Council will convene again on June 24 to discuss whether to include the fee on property tax bills. The ESD website will be open from July 15 for residents to choose new trash bins or change plans. New trash bins will be distributed to households starting on October 1.
According to city ESD data, currently only about 32% of garbage is successfully diverted from landfills, far below the policy target of 80%. City officials pointed out that implementing weekly recycling services would help increase diversion rates. The waste diversion issue has become a significant concern for the city, as the Miramar Landfill is expected to reach capacity by 2031.