Lynwood council weighs hotel tax, fee hikes, and contracts; outcomes pending
The Lynwood City Council met multiple times on Aug. 4 to consider a proposed 12% hotel tax, a new fee schedule with hundreds of increases, and several contracts. The agendas for these meetings have been published, but minutes are not yet available, so the outcomes of the votes are not known.
Hotel tax and fee schedule
The regular meeting agenda included a public hearing on a proposed 12% transient occupancy tax on hotels and motels, which would go on the November 2026 ballot. The council also considered adopting a revised master fee schedule with 493 fee increases, 27 new fees, and 20 decreases, plus a credit card processing fee. The agenda also included maintaining the landscape maintenance assessment at $1.90 per front footage and lighting assessments at $1.62 (residential) and $3.01 (commercial) per front footage, and adding medical debt reporting requirements to the municipal code.
Contracts and projects
In a special meeting, the council considered whether to reject or award a sole-proposal contract for interim water utility support from Agua Link Solutions, Inc. (RFP No. 2026-001). They also considered awarding a contract to USA Construction LLC for the Lynwood Natatorium Pool Resurfacing project at $386,170 (total project cost $502,021). The council also considered approving travel for Mayor Pro Tem Moore and Councilmember Soto to the Sister Cities Festival in Zacatecas, Mexico, Aug. 14-16, with airfare covered by the city. Other items included a first amendment with PMCS Group, Inc. increasing its engineering services contract from $50,000 to $100,000, and a first amendment with MV Cheng & Associates, Inc. for financial consulting, increasing FY 2025-26 by $3,000 and extending one year at $450,000. The council also considered adopting a list of projects for FY 2026-2027 funded by Senate Bill 1, estimated at $1,928,797.
Closed sessions
The council also held two closed sessions to consult with legal counsel on anticipated and existing litigation, including Coalition for Clean Air v. City of Lynwood (Case No. 26STCP00451). One closed session also included real estate negotiations for 12671 Antigua Court (APN 6186-025-037). No public decisions were made in these sessions.
Coming up
On Aug. 18, the City Council will hold a public hearing on a substantial amendment to its FY 2025-26 Annual Action Plan and 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan to reallocate $1,800,000 in HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds. The proposed shift would move money from underutilized rehabilitation and down payment assistance programs to expand rental assistance, acquire and rehabilitate a property at 12641 Antigua Court for affordable homeownership, and support future affordable housing development. The council will also consider adopting an updated Master Fee Schedule, approving a one-year animal sheltering agreement with SPCALA for $301,740, an emergency month-to-month crossing guard agreement with All City Management Services, Inc. for up to $102,255.36, and awarding a Dial-a-Ride contract to Fiesta Taxi (and possibly Uber Transit) for up to $1,130,000.