If you own a home in Miami-Dade County, your trash bill may have doubled and it might have been a mistake.
After a CBS News Miami investigation, county officials now admit that some homes were incorrectly classified as two-unit properties, triggering higher trash collection fees.
The county said those charges will be reversed and refunds are coming.
Residents flag unexpected charges
Miami-Dade County’s Solid Waste Management Department bases its billing on the number of units listed on the Property Appraiser’s website. But in neighborhoods like Los Prados, something changed.
Ronny Gadea, president of the Los Prados HOA, noticed 31 homes in his community had suddenly been classified as two-unit properties, despite being listed as one unit for years.
“Each office was pointing blame at the other,” Gadea said after reaching out to both Solid Waste and the Property Appraiser’s Office.
Homeowner Fernando Carvajal told CBS News Miami back in February: “I purchased one property. I paid for one property. I have one address.” His trash bill had doubled without explanation.
Officials acknowledge mistake, promise fixes
Following CBS News Miami’s coverage, Gadea says he met with his county commissioner, solid waste management, and the property appraiser’s office. As a result, the property appraiser agreed to revert the homes in Los Prados back to single-unit status.
Solid Waste told CBS News Miami that any extra money collected would be refunded.
“We are very thankful to you, Steve and CBS because that story that was published definitely moved this story much further than we ever would have gotten,” Gadea said.
Property Appraiser Thomas Regalado added, “I think this was a mistake,” and said he hadn’t known about the issue until after the story aired.
More homes may be affected
Regalado explained that some properties were classified as “next generation homes,” houses with an extra suite and appliances, which can sometimes qualify as second units. However, his office determined the Los Prados homes didn’t meet that threshold.
“It needs to have a full functioning kitchen,” he said.
Gadea questioned the logic of charging extra based on a home’s layout. “I don’t believe they should be charged for double units,” he said.
Regalado confirmed that, so far, about 800 homes have been reclassified back to single units. More are still under review.
If homeowners believe they were incorrectly billed, they are encouraged to contact the Property Appraiser’s Office directly.
