As many of AOA members know, in 2017, Apartment Owners of Los Angeles brought a legal challenge to the City of Los Angeles through Apartment Owners of Los Angeles et al. v. City of Los Angeles, LASC Case No. BC677423. While it has been a long, hard battle, the case continues to move forward. Finally, individual owners are being sought to present their legal claims. More information will be available at the Convention as the lead attorneys involved in the case will be present to answer questions and give out information.
As background, it has been a long, hard battle to reach this point. In 2017, AOA and several other owners brought a class action seeking refunds of higher waste hauling prices charged under the City’s mandated waste hauling program called “recycLA.” AOA has alleged, and continues to allege, that the recycLA program is actually an unlawful tax imposed in violation of the California Constitution.
In 2017, the City of Los Angeles created seven waste hauling “zones” across the City. Seven haulers were selected, one for each zone, effectively creating monopolies for commercial waste hauling services. The program created and allowed for significantly higher fees, sometimes doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling prior charges. These fees applied to owners of all sizes, from commercial buildings and mom-and-pop 6-unit apartment properties to large apartment developments. Although the California Constitution imposes strict requirements for creating increased fees, the City chose to bypass them and proceed with this massive program on its own.
Again, it is time for individual owners to step up and present their legal claims. More information will be available at the Convention, where the attorneys leading this battle will be available to answer questions and provide additional information.
Carolin Shining, Esq.