SAN DIEGO — San Diego is ending free trash services for some condos and apartments, leaving property managers struggling to find private haulers before the August 1 deadline.
"For at least 3 months we have been on the phone, emailing. Messages, filling out contact forms trying to get one of these private companies to respond," said Gina Biglione.
Biglione, who manages multiple communities across San Diego, has been searching for private trash collection services after some of her properties received notices that the city would no longer pick up their trash after August 1.
Last month, city leaders voted to start charging for trash and recycling collection services. They also determined that more than 21,000 parcels would no longer be eligible for city trash services, including townhouses, condo complexes, and apartments.
"All the big companies and even the little companies are full, they can't take on any more properties, and they also sometimes will say, well, we can, but we have to give them a big dumpster," said Biglione.
The property manager explains that many smaller properties like hers don't have the space to accommodate large dumpsters.
Jeremy Bauer, Assistant Director of the Environmental Services Department, acknowledges the challenges residents are facing during this transition.
"It is a transition process and we know many folks have successfully secured a private hauler, others are navigating the process," said Bauer.
He added that if residents are still trying to secure a private hauler without success, the city will work with them, even if it means covering the cost temporarily.
"The revenue we're collecting from the new ratepayers is specifically for providing service to customers that are now paying the rate. So during the interim period, if we are continuing to incur costs, that would ultimately have to be covered by the general fund," said Bauer.
Residents who haven't found a private hauler are encouraged to contact the city and provide proof that they are having difficulty securing services.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
