We caught it.
We're fixing it.

City agencies overcharged Park La Brea for water and sewage services for months — and those overcharges flowed directly into resident bills. PLBRA identified the discrepancy, escalated it to management, and won corrections. Here's what you need to know, and what you may be owed.

Calculate my estimate What to do now
The Story

How PLBRA caught the overcharges

For months, Park La Brea residents were billed for water and sewer services at amounts higher than what the city actually charged the complex. The overcharges weren't minor rounding errors — they were systematic, flowing directly from city agencies through management and into resident utility statements.

PLBRA first flagged the discrepancy after cross-referencing city utility rate schedules against the amounts appearing on resident bills. The numbers didn't add up. Our volunteer advocates compiled the evidence, documented the billing periods in question, and brought the findings directly to Park La Brea management in early 2022.

Management's initial response was slow, but the documentation was clear. After sustained pressure — and with detailed records provided by PLBRA — management acknowledged the overcharges and committed to issuing Post-Payment Adjustment credits to affected units. The correction period spans June 2025 through December 2025, covering seven months of billing.

The correction amounts are calculated using your lease factor: the number of people on your lease determines your proportional share of water costs. A one-occupant unit receives a base credit, while larger households receive proportionally more. The credit calculation method is documented on this page, and you can use the calculator below to estimate your specific amount.

PLBRA continues to monitor utility billing statements and will escalate any future discrepancies. This is exactly the kind of long-term financial advocacy that resident membership makes possible.

Status: Credits being issued · Ongoing monitoring

We've been heard, and in response, PLB management is making changes.

PLBRA April 2022 Newsletter
Credit Estimator

Estimate what you may be owed

Enter the number of occupants on your lease and your billing period. The calculator applies the exact lease factor formula used by Park La Brea management to determine utility credit amounts.

Water & Sewer Utility Credit Calculator

Select the number of people listed on your lease. This determines your lease factor and credit amount.
Enter the number of billing months to include in the estimate. The default correction period is 7 months (June–December 2025).
Estimated total credit
159.12
2 occupants · factor 1.6 · 7 months
Full spreadsheet

* Estimate only. Actual credit determined by management. Base credit: $99.45 per base period × your lease factor × billing months ÷ 7. Results are approximate and should not be relied upon as the final amount.

What to do

Take action on your credit

  1. Verify your bill

    Pull up your utility statements for June through December 2025. Check the amounts charged for water and sewer against prior months to identify any discrepancies or unusual charges.

  2. Compare to the estimate

    Use the calculator above to get your estimate based on your lease occupancy. If your bill shows corrections already applied, compare those amounts to the estimate to confirm accuracy.

  3. Contact management

    If credits have not appeared on your statement, contact Park La Brea management directly at 323-549-5400. Reference the "Post-Payment Adjustment" for water and sewer billing, June–December 2025.

  4. Notify PLBRA if unresolved

    If management does not address your concern within 10 business days, contact PLBRA at [email protected]. We track unresolved cases and can escalate as a collective.

Key contacts

PLBRA
[email protected]

Tower 39 Lobby Office, 401 S. Burnside Avenue

PLB Management
323-549-5400

Reference: Water & Sewer Post-Payment Adjustment

LA City Council — CD 5
lacd5.com

For unresolved utility disputes escalated beyond management

LADWP Customer Service
1-800-DIAL-DWP

For inquiries about LADWP rate schedules applied to PLB

Common Questions

Frequently asked questions

Full FAQ
Why were residents overcharged for water and sewer?
City agencies billed Park La Brea at rates or totals higher than the actual cost of service for certain months. Because PLB passes these costs through to residents using lease-factor allocation, the inflated amounts flowed into individual resident utility statements. PLBRA identified the discrepancy by comparing published LADWP rate schedules against the billed amounts.
What is a "lease factor" and how does it affect my credit?
Park La Brea allocates shared utility costs among units based on the number of people on each lease. A one-occupant household is assigned a factor of 1.0 (the base), while larger households receive proportionally higher factors: 1.6 for two occupants, 1.9 for three, 2.2 for four, and 2.5 for five. Your credit is calculated by multiplying the base credit amount by your lease factor.
How will the credit appear on my bill?
Management is issuing corrections as "Post-Payment Adjustments" on utility statements. Look for a line item labeled as an adjustment or credit on statements covering the June–December 2025 billing period. If you don't see it, contact PLB management directly at 323-549-5400 and request clarification on the water and sewer post-payment adjustment.
Is the calculator result the exact amount I'll receive?
No. The calculator provides an estimate based on the base credit rate ($99.45 per base period), your lease factor, and the number of months you enter. Actual credit amounts are determined by management and may vary based on specific billing records for your unit. Use the estimate as a reference point when reviewing your statement or speaking with management.
What is PLBRA doing to prevent this from happening again?
PLBRA has added utility billing oversight to its ongoing advocacy workplan. We will continue to cross-reference city utility rate filings against resident bills on a quarterly basis. If discrepancies are identified, we will notify management immediately and document all communications. Becoming a PLBRA member helps fund this monitoring work — see join-now.html to support advocacy.
Support Advocacy

Help us spot the next billing issue

Catching this overcharge took months of volunteer research and direct negotiation with management. That work is only possible because residents support PLBRA. Become a member and help fund the next fight.

Become a member Learn how PLBRA works