Los Angeles pauses utility shutoffs through end of year

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has ordered a pause on residential utility shutoffs through the end of the year for customers who are unable to pay their bills. The New York Post reported that Bass asked the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to halt power and water disconnections following skyrocketing utility rates. [1]

Bass stated that no residential customer facing high bills after record heat will have their electricity or water turned off for the remainder of the year. The New York Post reported that running air conditioners during the recent heatwave contributed to higher residential bills across the city. [1]

Bass has served as the 43rd mayor of Los Angeles since 2022. She previously served in the United States House of Representatives from 2011 to 2022 and in the California State Assembly from 2004 to 2010. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Bass is currently running for re-election in the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral race. [5][8]