The deadline for people to apply for their share of a legal settlement from Oakland’s recycling contractor is now less than three months away.
The City Attorney’s Office said that certain multi-family rental property owners are eligible for a refund of recycling charges from California Waste Solutions due to a legal settlement with the city — if they apply by Jan. 12, 2025.
“These property owners were unfairly and significantly overcharged for services for years,” Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker said in a statement Thursday. “Unfortunately, only 28 percent of eligible property owners have filed their claims to date. We urge everyone who was overcharged to claim the funds that are due to them.”
Many property owners who have not yet applied for their settlement share are due refunds of up to $125,000 and others are owed from between $10,000 to $99,000, according to Parker.
Affected property owners may opt out of the settlement and file their own lawsuit against CWS no later than Dec. 31, 2024.
“Unfortunately, only 28 percent of eligible property owners have filed their claims to date. We urge everyone who was overcharged to claim the funds that are due to them.”
Barbara Parker, Oakland City Attorney
People can call 833-493-1547 for more information or to request a claims form if they did not receive one in the mail or can no longer find their form.
As part of the agreement, CWS will refund a total of about $6 million in charges from the 2010s and will also reduce the collection rate from $187.57 to $34.22 a month.
The settlement and reduced rates are for owners of 1,340 multi-family rental properties who paid for the “premium backyard service” of bringing recycling carts to the curbside for collection.
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