File Number

COUNCIL MOTION - BULKY ITEM COLLECTION SERVICES

TEXT OF COUNCIL MOTION:

File Number
04-0881

Last Changed Date
5/5/2004

Title
BULKY ITEM COLLECTION SERVICES

Initiated By
LaBonge Mover 2004 / Garcetti / Perry / Cardenas / Hahn / Villaraigosa / Zine

Subject
Motion - Beginning in January of 2003, representatives from numerous City departments have been meeting as part of a Bulky Item Task Force to discuss illegally dumped bulky items, which include couches, refrigerators, televisions and other household items. Items are considered illegally dumped if they are left on City streets, alleys or parkways or if they are not requested for pickup through the Bureau of Sanitation's Call Center.
Bulky item pickup is one of the most frequent services requested by the public, with over a thousand service calls to the City each day. Demand has increased in recent years with the implementation of the 311 information system, which prominently features advertisements for free bulky item collection.
The Task Force included representatives of the Board of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation, Bureau of Street Services, the City Attorney, Office of the Mayor and Council District Four. The Bureau of Sanitation collects bulky items that have been requested for pickup through their call center, while Street Services responds to illegally dumped bulky items that are found on City parkways, streets and alleys.
In fiscal year 2002-2003, the Bureau of Sanitation expended approximately $4.2 million on its bulky item program, an estimated 15 percent of which was generated by multi-unit apartment buildings not serviced by the City ($615,000). Street services expended over $3.7 million collecting illegally dumped bulky items on City streets and alleys. A good portion of this total, still to be determined, is believed to come from multi-unit apartment buildings. These are all General Fund monies.
The ultimate responsibility to provide solid waste collection services rests with the municipality (California Public Resources Code, Division 30, Sections S40001, S40002 et al). Section 66.00.1 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code contains the City's policy in providing refuse collection services to households. The City can, as a matter of policy, provide collection of Bulky Items to all households in the City of Los Angeles.
Prior to 1991, the decision on who was to provide solid waste collection services to large apartment complexes was essentially left to the individual apartment owner as the city was equipped to only service 30-gal manual containers, and many chose to contract with private haulers. On April 30, 1991, with the advent of automated and containerized solid waste collection, the City placed a solid waste service Moratorium, still in effect today, on all apartment complexes of greater than four units, and as such these apartment complexes continue to be serviced by private haulers.
Single family homes and apartment buildings smaller than five units are served by the City and receive free bulky item from the City, so their requests were not included in the Task Force's definition of "illegally dumped bulky items."
The majority of tenants who live in multi-unit apartment complexes are unaware that it is the responsibility of their building owners to dispose of their bulky items. An informal survey of bulky item requests at multi-family dwellings performed by Sanitation in the fall of 2003 found that three out of five tenants and landlords routinely call the City for Bulky Item Collection Services. Clearly, tenants have come to rely upon the City for bulky item removal.
While the City has devoted substantial resources to this effort, its efforts have so far been insufficient to provide adequate and timely pickup of bulky items that are illegally dumped in front of apartment buildings, in alleyways and on the streets.
A new policy is needed to improve service delivery and to establish a dedicated funding source to ensure that no General Fund revenue is spent on bulky item pickup, so that these dollars can be used on other vital City services, such as hiring more police officers and increased street resurfacing.
Ideally, the burden for funding this program should be split between tenants and apartment owners, as both stand to benefit from having a cleaner neighborhood. Apartment owners will see higher property values and tenants will enjoy a higher quality of life. A proliferation of bulky items contributes to blight and a degeneration of the health of neighborhoods, which attracts crime and discourages private investment.
THEREFORE MOVE that the Bureaus of Sanitation and Street Services be requested to report to the Public Works and Environmental Quality and Waste Management committees in 30 days on the feasibility of instituting a "Bulky Item Collection and Disposal Program" for all multifamily apartment complexes of more than four units.
FURTHER MOVE that the Bureau of Sanitation and City Administrative Officer be directed to report to Council on the possibility of structuring this program to support implementation and expansion of the City's Bulky Item Drop-Off Centers.
FURTHER MOVE that the Department of Public Works be requested to work with the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment to inform neighborhood councils of this proposal and seek their input through the community impact statement format.
FURTHER MOVE that the Department of Public Works be requested to develop brochures informing the public of the proper way to call in bulky items in multiple languages for use in a possible future public education campaign, funding by the "Bulky Item Collection and Disposal Program."

Date Received
5/4/2004

File History
5-4-04 - This day's Council session
5-4-04 - Ref to Public Works, Environmental Quality and Waste Management and Budget and Finance Committees
5-4-04 - File to Public Works Committee Clerk