Agda Pkt 2025.01.27 Joint SA PFA

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Page 7 of 9 City of Redwood City 1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA. 94063 Tel: 650-780-7000 www.redwoodcity.org Financial Assistance To help assist customers who may be overly burdened by rate increases, the City expanded upon the previous Water and Sewer Rate Assistance Program (WSRAP) at the October 3, 2022 Council Meeting (see consent agenda item 6.A. “Expand current utility rate assistance program to include solid waste customers beginning January 1, 2023, with credits funded using $20,000 in one-time funds allocated in the FY 2022- 23 Adopted Budget, and funded using late payment penalties beginning in FY 2023-24”). The expanded program, renamed the Utilities Rate Assistance Program (URAP), includes a monthly credit (based on cart size) for solid waste charges in addition to the previously offered credits for water and sewer charges. At the January 22, 2024 Council Meeting, the Council approved a $5.00 per month increase in the benefit amount for eligible solid waste customers (see consent agenda item 6.J. “Increase in benefit amounts for the Utility Rate Assistance Program to assist low-income customers with planned and adopted increases to water, solid waste, and sewer utility rates in 2024”). Figure 7 shows the current benefit amount available for eligible solid waste customers. In addition to the monthly credit for solid waste customers shown in Figure 7, URAP participants also receive a $25/month ($50/bill) credit for water and another $25/month ($50/bill) credit for sewer services. Redwood City is one of just a few communities among our comparative cities which provides rate assistance to income-eligible residents. Even then, the comparative cities that do provide assistance typically provide a lower benefit compared to Redwood City (i.e. less financial assistance on solid waste rates or provide assistance on only a subset of the three utilities). Figure 7 –Solid Waste Credit for URAP participants Outreach In consideration of the proposed solid waste rate increases, staff initiated the following public notification activities: Presented proposed maximum rates at the November 15, 2024 Utilities Sub-Committee meeting. Mailed notices pursuant to Article XIII D Section 6 of the California Constitution (Proposition 218) with information about the proposed rate increase and the public hearing. Posted solid waste rate information on the City’s website and via social media. Published a public hearing notice in the San Mateo Daily Journal. Conducted outreach, including: 7.A. - Page 7 of 32 133