Customer Reflections Summary |
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Across the Listening Sessions and Solutions Summits, participants expressed strong interest in programs that reduce their utility costs, improve household efficiency, and help them access bill assistance. However, feedback highlighted how structural barriers can make programs hard to identify, understand or access, limiting program participation.
Experiences varied most significantly in accessing and communicating with LADWP; what worked well for some participants felt difficult to others. Participants’ feedback also highlighted a gap between interest and participation, with many expressing a desire to enroll but uncertainty regarding how to start, where to apply, and/or eligibility requirements.
A finding across all three Solutions Summits was that customers did not know what programs existed, were unsure whether they qualified, and, even when previously enrolled, were not certain they were still enrolled. Jose, a senior homeowner in Lincoln Heights, had been enrolled in a senior rebate program and did not know if he still was. A couple who had enrolled in a financial assistance program two years earlier, also wondered if they were still active because their bills continued to rise. David in Lincoln Heights thought he received a 20% discount but was unsure about which program, and if he had successfully re-enrolled. Enrollment status uncertainty represents a distinct and under-addressed problem.
Difficulty navigating application processes or understanding eligibility requirements also emerged as a persistent barrier to program enrollment. Some participants detailed being denied without clear explanations or guidance about next steps after enrollment attempts. Participants also described burdensome administrative requirements, difficulty reaching Customer Service Representatives, and uncertainty about which department could help with specific programs.
The experience of Margarita, a renter in Boyle Heights, illustrates these challenges. She spoke of her experience applying for one of the LADWP discounts where a physician’s certification is required: “For me, it was extremely stressful… having to do paper forms during COVID, when there was no contact, was extremely hard… I had to get my doctor to fill out paperwork… and they charge a fee… $20, $30, $40… The process just needs to be more streamlined—digitized—so we can do it electronically… some families are on fixed incomes, so it becomes a hardship.”
Olivia, a resident of South LA, also spoke of the challenges that she and others like her have had with the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) - a federally funded program administered by local service providers that is one of the very few utility assistance and crisis intervention programs in LADWP’s service territory. Although LADWP is not responsible for administering the program, Olivia suggests that LADWP could play a role in partnering with these organizations to improve the customer experience.
Renters also raised concerns about structural inequity in how incentive programs are designed: because most upgrades require property owner consent or investment, the benefits tend to reach landlords rather than the tenants who stand to gain most from lower bills. This creates a barrier for renters who cannot independently make changes to their units. Participants described waiting years for landlords to make basic repairs, let alone pursue energy efficiency upgrades, and noted that LADWP's outreach and program design primarily engages homeowners rather than the landlords and property managers. Several participants recommended that LADWP increase direct communication with landlords and property managers, and frame upgrades as beneficial to property value and tenant retention. Others pointed to programs like Shared Solar as a more renter-accessible model, since they do not require landlord involvement, though participants noted that enrollment processes for these programs remained cumbersome.
Taken together, renter participants described a program landscape that, despite good intentions, is largely designed around a homeowner relationship and leaves renters feeling excluded from many programs that may otherwise benefit them. Access challenges, however, extended beyond renter status.
Customers raised varied and conflicting challenges accessing LADWP. Some customers felt frustrated they could seemingly only seek support online, while others felt LADWP did not provide enough support online. Others expressed frustration that LADWP cut service hours at in-person facilities for customer support, while some found seeking support in person overly taxing. However, customers consistently appreciate receiving information through trusted community partners, like churches, community groups, and local leaders.
Participants in Lincoln Heights and Wilmington described neighbors who are hesitant to interact with official LADWP representatives given the current climate around immigration enforcement, and recommended that LADWP rely on trusted community organizations with deep neighborhood ties to carry program information. Delmira, a resident of Boyle Heights, provided a counterpoint and spoke of the need for credentialed LADWP staff to provide assistance where people live, particularly for those who are older, may have multiple barriers to accessing assistance, and are victims of fraud. Both suggest the need for help and the different ways that help should be made available.
These customers’ experiences contribute to a broader perception that while programs exist to support customers, the pathways for accessing them are not always easy to navigate. Feedback consistently revealed strong customer interest in cost-cutting or efficiency-improvement programs, alongside persistent points of friction related to awareness, eligibility clarity, enrollment processes, and access to assistance.