Los Angeles rental housing providers could face higher annual street-lighting charges under a street-lighting assessment proposal the city is preparing to put before property owners.

The proposal would increase costs based on property size and classification, with larger and multifamily properties facing higher charges.

The measure would be decided through a Proposition 218 ballot, separate from the 2026 primary election. Only the ballots that are returned are counted, and the city says those ballots are weighted by the proposed assessment amount. If a weighted majority of “No” ballots is submitted, the measure fails. If no ballots are returned, the assessments are still levied. Property owners should make sure their mailing address is correct, watch for the notice, and return their ballot on time.

The city says the proposal is intended to help maintain its system of about 223,000 streetlights across Los Angeles. The city’s March 2026 engineer’s report says parcels would be assessed based on land use, lighting type and parcel size, and that the maximum assessment rate for fiscal year 2026-27 would be $58.8338 per special benefit point.

Streetlights in Los Angeles need upgrades, and ongoing theft remains a concern. Fred Sutton, the California Apartment Association’s senior vice president of local public affairs in Los Angeles, said owners should also weigh what he described as the lack of a clear plan to address those losses, along with the added operating costs the assessment would place on properties where the city has restricted annual rent increases below inflation, leaving owners without flexibility to pass those costs through.

Be on the lookout for your street lighting assessment ballot from the Bureau of Street Lighting. Property owners with questions can contact the Proposition 218 Compliance Section at (213) 847-1500.