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1. Why is the fee being charged on only residential properties of less than four units?

The cost of trash collection is becoming more and more expensive, and room for waste is becoming limited in the City’s landfill. Therefore, for the past 4 years, the City imposed a waste collection fee on 2 to 4 unit properties (formerly $180, and now $90 per unit). This fee, coupled with other cost-saving measures by the City, offsets some of those costs.

In 2018, the Albany Common Council decided to reduce this fee (to $90), but to extend it to all residential properties in the City, including single family residences.

Properties with more than four units and commercial properties are already required to provide for their own trash pick-up, which is why they have been left out of the program.

2. How will it be determined who will have to pay the fee?

The City uses information from its own property databases, tax records and New York State databases to generate a list of all residential properties in the City. We then eliminated everyone from that list who would be eligible for an exemption based on the information we had at hand.

3. How do I know if I will be charged the fee?

Starting in 2021, the WCF will be billed on your January property tax bill.  In 2022, you will see a charge listed as “2022 Waste Coll” with a charge of $90 per unit.  If you were charged the WCF on your bill, but believe you should be exempt, contact our office by email or call us at 518-434-5036 to request an exemption application.   The program is expires annually, unless renewed by the Common Council.

If you have questions about the Waste Collection Fee, you may email us. You may also contact the Treasurer’s office at 518-434-5036, or the Department of Buildings and Regulatory Compliance at 518-434-5995, if you have any questions about your Residential Occupancy Permit (ROP) or status of vacancy.

4. Who will the fee be paid to?

The fee will be paid to the City of Albany.

5. How long will I have to pay the fee for?

This is a yearly fee that is renewed annually by the Albany Common Council.

6. Are there any exemptions to the program?

There are 4 exemptions to the fee. If the fee was placed on your tax bill, it will be up to you to apply for one or more of these exemptions using the Waste Collection Fee Exemption Application. This application will be included with your initial notice or upon request from the Treasurer’s office. You may email or call the Treasurer’s Office at 518-434-5036.

• Private Hauling. If you hire a private trash collector for all units at your property, you will not have to pay the fee. Note that the private hauling must be for the whole property.
• The Unit is not Being Used as a Residence. If a unit does not require a Residential Occupancy Permit according to Albany City Code § 231-130 because it is not being used as a residence, it will not be assessed the waste collection fee.
• The Property is Vacant. If the property is vacant and in compliance with the Vacant Building Registry, it will not be assessed the fee.
• Age, Disability, Low Income. Individuals who receive an enhanced STAR exemption or a low income, senior, or disability exemption will not be charged the fee for a property at which they reside.

7. What if my residential unit will only be occupied for part of the year, may the fee be charged on a monthly basis?

Unfortunately, the administrative costs providing and overseeing a per-month fee option were determined to be prohibitive and so the fee applies to all units occupied as residential units at any time in the year for which the fee applies.

8. I think I am entitled to an exemption. How do I make sure I get one?

If you believe you are exempt for 2022, You must apply for an exemption through the City Treasurer’s Office. The application is available here, upon request by email or by calling 518-434-5036 or by downloading it here.  . This application will tell you what documents you need to submit as proof of your entitlement for an exemption.

9. What documents are needed to prove I am entitled to an exemption?

If you believe that you are entitled to an exemption from the WCF in 2022, you must submit a completed Waste Collection Fee Exemption Application to the Treasurer’s office by December 31, 2021. The City, through New York State and/or the Department of Buildings and Regulatory Compliance, will work with you to help you prove your entitlement. The following is a list of documents which we suggest you submit along with your Waste Collection Fee Exemption Application.

• Private Hauling. If you are entitled to the private hauling exemption you should submit a copy of the contract covering the property to be exempted from the fee.
• The Unit is not Being Used as a Residence. If you are entitled to a non-residence use exemption because the unit is not required to have a Residential Occupancy Permit (ROP) according to Albany City Code § 231-130 the owner will have to submit the affirmation included on the back of the Waste Collection Fee Exemption Application form stating that the unit is not being used for residential purposes. *It should be noted that, a unit with an active ROP will be liable for the fee. An ROP may be surrendered by the owner and this, in addition to submission of an affirmation stating that the unit is not being used for residential purposes, will be needed to obtain an exemption.
• The Property is Vacant. If you are entitled to a non-residence use exemption because the property is vacant and fully compliant with the Vacant Building Registry Program as required by Albany City Code § 133-78, you should not receive a bill if your building is properly registered. If it is not registered, you will have to register the building as vacant on the vacant building registry or, if the building is vacant and not required to be on the vacant building registry, you will have to authorize the Department to verify this compliance. Specifically, a building which is vacant but is secured by normal means and in compliance with code for one year does not have to be registered on the vacant building registry. If the building is already registered, the Department and we will confirm.
• Age, Disability, Low Income. If you are entitled to a low income, aged or disability based property tax exemption, or the Enhanced Star exemption, then you should not receive a bill. However, errors are inevitable and if you do receive a bill for the fee, you should contact the Treasurer’s Office ASAP. They will confirm with the Assessor’s Office and/or NYS whether you in fact receive one of these credits. If you do not receive the credit, the Department cannot grant the exemption and you will have to apply to the proper tax authorities to obtain the exemption if you are entitled to it. Once that exemption has been granted, the waste collection fee exemption will be granted.

10. What if I don’t own the property for which I am billed the fee?

If you do not own the property, please contact the Assessor’s office at 518-434-5155 or email us, so that the change in ownership status can be addressed. Email is preferred. Once the change is in ownership is verified, the bill can be changed to reflect proper ownership. (When properties in New York State are sold, it can take several weeks for the change in ownership to be applied to the New York State Real Property Database.)

11. How do I submit my waste collection fee exemption application?

Applications must be submitted to the Treasurer’s office by email, by mail or in person at:
City Hall
Room 110
Albany, NY 12207

12. How do I find out whether my exemption has been granted?

You will be notified by the City once we have determined whether you qualify for the exemption. Once your exemption has been granted, you will not have to do anything further; the City will apply the exemption.

13. How long does an exemption last after it is granted?

Once an exemption from this fee is granted, it will last for so long as the grounds for the exemption still exist. If the situation at the property changes (e.g., the Assessor’s Office determines you no longer qualify as low income, or you apply for an Residential Occupancy Permit (ROP) for a unit that was previously exempt) the trash fee will be assessed.

14. What if I disagree with the Department’s decision to deny my exemption?

After you receive a denial you may appeal the City’s determination to the Albany Zoning Board of Appeals. You will also have an opportunity to amend your application with additional documentation, correct your application, or correct our decision if you feel the City misinterpreted something in your application denying your application. In order to help with your appeal and prevent error, exemption application denials will include an explanation for the denial.

15. What happens if I do not pay the fee?

If you do not pay your property tax bill (which now includes your WCF bill) in full by the due date, you will be charged a late fee of 4% in the month of February, and then 1% per month thereafter. 

Number of Units	Total Fee	3-Month Late Fee
One	$90	+$50 ($140 total)
Two	$180 per year	+$100 ($280 total)
Three	$270 per year	+$150 ($430 total)
Four	$360 per year	$200 ($560 total)

Additionally, if you are not in compliance with the waste collection regulations, you may liable for illegal trash fees which will be levied by the Department of General Services and may be as much as $325 for each incident. (see Albany City Code § 313-7 for more information).