I know you asked about your specific area, but it seems to me that any landlord who deals with an un-metered property can give advice on how to handle that.In the property I  managed, which did not have separate meters in Silicon Valley, CA, in a converted very old building, we simply charged rent that included the average cost of providing utilities for a unit.  

My bible managing apartments in Silicon Valley was this Nolo book for California.

And, that being a numbers cruncher, you're sure he understands how important that is for someone in business with an investment.When the market crashed, I was managing an apartment building in Silicon Valley.  

I live near the San Francisco airport on the "Peninsula" which is basically Silicon Valley, the place with all that crazy venture capital money and tons of software related jobs here.

When the market tanked (this was Silicon Valley, CA), we didn't raise rents for a few years, and even lowered some rents to current tenants who asked, and advertised vacant units at lower than normal cost - just saying that the fact that you didn't raise the rent for a while may be justified in your case, so I don't think you should beat yourself up over that.  

I am in Silicon Valley near San Francisco I have two rentals looking for tenants.

I thought I'd just add...During the crash starting around 2008, rents went down even in Silicon Valley. 

I live in Silicon Valley and have a few rentals here. 

In Silicon Valley. 

The low-income senior apartment building I rent in now in Silicon Valley, charges $2.50 each for wash and dry.