The city of San Diego admits it recently made a mistake, incorrectly billing tens of thousands of residents for the city’s trash fees on their property tax bills.
In June 2025 the city approved a historic and controversial trash fee. It affects residents living in single-family homes or in multifamily developments with four or fewer units.
The trash fees were reduced earlier this year as part of a settlement. But now, some city council members said the improper billing of that trash fee on property tax bills is causing anxiety for many.
“We have residents opening up their bills and seeing significant overcharges. Some residents are reporting charges three times higher than they should be,” said District 4 Councilmember Henry Foster III.
The councilmember is also the Budget & Government Efficiency Committee Chair. Foster spoke with intense emotions during Wednesday's committee meeting.
The committee’s agenda included a discussion item about the Master Lease Agreement to Finance Solid Waste Management Fund vehicle and equipment purchases in the city.
Foster ultimately made a motion to return the solid waste management fund item to staff. It was approved unanimously.
He put the blame for the billing error on Mayor Todd Gloria.
“How do we continue to build trust? How do we continue to do that when we have a mayor that made a decision he will serve as a COO and has no experience? He failed the city, and he failed residents time and time again,” Foster said.
Councilmembers Sean Elo-Rivera and Kent Lee supported Foster and largely agreed with what he said during the meeting.
Mayor Gloria said the error is unacceptable. He said there will be accountability for the problem and that the city is working swiftly to correct it.
“... it's likely to result in a secondary bill that will be sent to folks with the corrected number,” Gloria said. “But that's a work in progress, making sure we're mindful and following the laws that the Tax Collector has to follow in terms of notifications of folks — but it is an error, and it will be fixed.”
The city said it became aware of the “technical error” on Monday and plans to “notify affected customers directly.”
It said the error “impacted approximately 87,000 accounts throughout the city” and that impacted customers “will not be responsible for paying an incorrect overage.”
Gloria said “City staff has committed to transmitting the corrected information to the County” by Wednesday.
He said residents should see the correct amount they owe on the city’s trash billing website.
Councilmember Henry Foster is running for reelection in a tightly contested race for San Diego City Council District 4. His opponent is Martha Abraham.
Property taxes are due Nov. 1. Bills become delinquent after Dec. 10.
