DATE: June 24, 2025
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Public Works
SUBJECT Adopt a Resolution Confirming the Report and Special Assessment List Associated with Delinquent Garbage Bills Incurred by Residential Property Owners with Cart Service
RECOMMENDATION
That Council adopts the attached resolution (Attachment II) confirming the report and assessment for delinquent single-family residential garbage bills and authorizing the delinquent charges to become a special assessment against the properties if not paid on or before July 31, 2025.
SUMMARY
This report presents residential property owners with delinquent cart service garbage bills for the 2024-2025 service year and the amounts that are to be placed as a special assessment on the property tax rolls. As of June 4, 2025, 1,414, property owners owe $815,650.83 or a total of $901,418.78 with both administrative fees included (see Attachment III). The unpaid charges and the administrative fees assessed by the City and County will become a special assessment against the properties and will appear on each property owner’s tax bill later this year.
BACKGROUND
On April 6, 2010, Council approved collection of delinquent garbage bills from residential property owners with cart service via special assessments on property tax rolls. Under the City’s solid waste ordinance (Section 5-1.17), the property owner is ultimately responsible for the payment of the garbage bill, whether or not the owner occupies the property.
Beginning in 2010 and annually thereafter, Waste Management of Alameda County (WMAC) mails three separate notices in January, March, and April to delinquent residential property owners with cart service. The notices typically result in full payments by about half of all delinquent accounts, thereby avoiding placement of a special assessment on those owners’ property tax bills. The outstanding amounts are placed as a special assessment on the property tax rolls.
DISCUSSION
The 2025 assessments include the total amount due from each delinquent account owed WMAC for the period from March 2024 through February 2025. Other charges that will be included in the assessment are a fifty-dollar administrative fee charged by the City and a
1.7% administrative fee charged by the Alameda County Tax Assessor’s Office. These fees and this request for Council’s confirmation of the list are made pursuant to Hayward Municipal Code Sections 5-1.28 through 5-1.32.
At this writing, 1,414 property owners owe $815,650.83 or a total of $901,418.78 with both administrative fees included (see Attachment III). In comparison, on June 5 of 2024, 1,649 property owners owed a total of $994,597.41 with all fees included. If not paid on or before July 31, 2025, the unpaid charges and the administrative fees assessed by the City and County will become a special assessment against the properties and will appear on each property owner’s tax bill later this year.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
A breakdown of the 1,414 total delinquent accounts and the range of amounts owed are as follows:
Profile of Accounts
Amount Owed
48% (683 accounts) Less than $500
36% (500 accounts) $500 to $1,000
16% (231 accounts) $1,000 to $4,973.06
Payment of these fees should not have an undue adverse impact on property owners or tenants as they will be required to pay charges that the overwhelming majority of property owners and tenants pay on a regular basis. The only difference is that property owners of the delinquent accounts must also pay the small administrative fees mentioned above.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no negative fiscal impact to the City as administrative fees will cover staff costs.
Upon receipt of delinquent fees remitted by the County Tax Assessor’s Office, the City will retain the administrative and franchise fees and remit the balance to WMAC.
STRATEGIC ROADMAP
This agenda item does not directly relate to any of the seven priorities outlined in the Council’s Strategic Roadmap.
SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES
Solid waste management involves the safe and responsible management of discarded material from generation through processing to disposal. Reducing waste landfilled by maximizing the reuse, recycling, and composting of materials increases diversion, conserves natural, resources, and plays an important role in making a community sustainable.
PUBLIC CONTACT
WMAC mailed letters in January, March, and April to each residential property owner and tenant with a delinquent garbage bill. Each letter stated that the City’s ordinance holds property owners responsible for garbage service fees, provided the past due amount, and included a phone number and email address to resolve questions regarding amounts owed.
The March and April letters indicated that Council had authorized, at its April 6, 2010, meeting, collection of delinquent garbage bills through placement of assessments on the Alameda County tax rolls. The April letter identified a due date of June 1, 2025, for payment of delinquent amounts, though WMAC will continue to accept payments until 5:00 p.m., July 31, 2025. The April letter also indicated Council’s confirmation of the report and list of delinquent charges would be scheduled for June 2025. All letters were approved by City staff. Property owners were given an opportunity for an administrative hearing to dispute the delinquent amount, but no hearings were scheduled.
The Notice of City Council’s scheduled confirmation of this report was published in The Daily Review on June 13, 2025.
NEXT STEPS
WMAC will continue to accept payments until July 31, 2025. Staff will provide the final list to the Alameda County Tax Assessor’s Office by August 8, 2025.
Prepared by: Jeff Krump, Solid Waste Program Manager
Erik Pearson, Environmental Services Manager
Recommended by: Alex Ameri, Director of Public Works
Approved by:
___________________________________
Michael Lawson, J.D.
Acting City Manager