Starting today, Thursday, Jan. 22, customers of the City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department (ESD) can apply for financial assistance to pay annual fees for trash and recycling services. Applications can be submitted online and in-person assistance will be available for people who need help with the application process. 

In order to qualify, customers must own and live in the home as a primary residence, and the home must be eligible to receive trash and recycling collection from the City of San Diego. In addition, they must meet one of the following qualifications: 

·  Household income is at or below 60% of California’s State Median Income. 

·  At least one person in the household is enrolled in one or more of the following assistance programs: Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs or the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). 

Customers can apply for assistance whether or not they have already paid part or all of this year’s fee, which was due in December 2025. 

The new Solid Waste Management Fee Financial Assistance Program is made possible through a partnership with the Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty of San Diego County, Inc. (MAAC). Additionally, the program is paid for by $3 million from the City’s fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget and more than $60,000 in donations pledged by City customers. ESD expects approximately 7,000 customers will be admitted into the program, and applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. 

 “With today’s launch of the new Financial Assistance Program, we are excited to fulfill a commitment shaped through our engagement with residents across San Diego over the past two years,” said Jeremy Bauer, Assistant Director of Environmental Services. “Supported by City leaders, strengthened by customer donations, and administered by a nonprofit with deep local knowledge, the program is designed to provide meaningful assistance while reaching as many qualifying households as possible.” 

Under the financial assistance program, those who meet the criteria and are approved may receive credit toward half of the trash and recycling fee, approximately $260 per year. Additional assistance is available for property owners who meet the primary eligibility requirements and are currently enrolled in the County of San Diego’s property tax payment plan. Those qualifying property owners may receive the full trash and recycling fee amount.  

Applications for assistance for this fiscal year will be reviewed and approved on an ongoing basis through April as funding remains available. Afterward, the program will consider applications for assistance toward the FY2027 fee. 

In-person assistance at community locations citywide will be offered for residents who need support with the online application process. For more information, visit MAACproject.org/SDSWAssistance or call 619-946-4419. 

In-person clinics for assistance with online application: