Locals Gather In South LA To Learn About LADWP's Rate Increases

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Hundreds of South Los Angeles residents attended a community forum on Tuesday in order to voice their concerns for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's proposed rate increases.

According to the LADWP, the rate increase is necessary to update old infrastructure, like water mains and transformers.

The department also stated that the rate increase could also lead to up to 6,700 new jobs.

However, people across Los Angeles aren't happy with the LADWP, and aren't afraid to voice their issues, either.

Erick Huerta of the Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education (SCOPE) believes that not all locals are prepared for the rate increase.

According to their website, SCOPE is an organization that brings residents together to create economic opportunities for low-income communities of color.

"A lot of our folks are one paycheck away from being homeless, they have to make choices between medicine and food," Huerta said.

"This is something we need to take care of and need to be prepared for," he added.

The forum was held at the SCOPE offices on Florence Ave between Western Ave and Harvard Blvd.

The proposed rate hike will depend on how much water and power each home uses, but the average increase ranges from $10 to $90 a month, after five years.

The board and city council still need to approve the plan before it is enacted, however.