San Diego tenants paid $60 for utilities, then got $289 bills, formed a council, and won

One month, San Diego tenant Michael Parker received a $172.33 trash bill; the next, another charge arrived for $289.27. The bills were a dramatic shift after five years of paying a flat $60 a month for utilities.

The surprise bills spurred Parker and his neighbors in San Diego to organize, withhold bill payments, and negotiate a lower monthly cap.

Here’s what to know…