4 ms·

In Oakland, we have empty cars with weeds growing under them from sitting in the same spot for over a year. When I've asked the city, they respond that their l

In Oakland, we have empty cars with weeds growing under them from sitting in the same spot for over a year. When I've asked the city, they respond that their lots are full, or that they assumed someone was living in the car, despite any evidence of the later. I remember a time when being parked in a street sweeping area, or having missing registration was immediately caught with a hefty fine. I'm curious why the city no longer feels the need for this revenue, or that laws no longer need to be enforced. It's weird for me to miss law enforcement, but there is definitely a threshold where not enforcing the laws feels more arbitrary. On a side note, if you mark a car as abandoned in SeeClickFix, people will show up and start dismantling the car searching for parts to hock before the city shows up. Interesting times.

SaberTail 2y ago
San Jose has this same problem with abandoned vehicles. They will only do something if they can be classified as "blight". In practice that means the vehicle has to be so extensively damaged as to be inoperable. When I last looked into it, it was because they had grant money to clean up blight, but no budget for cleaning up abandoned vehicles otherwise. The towing and storage cost more than what they can usually recoup by fining the owner or by selling them for scrap. This has resulted in things like my entire neighborhood being taken over by shady car dealerships using the streets for overflow that they can't fit on their lots. And so actual people end up finding other places to park, like on the sidewalk, or right in the middle of dead-end streets. I do see those getting ticketed occasionally, at least. Meanwhile the unregistered dealer inventory with no plates that are otherwise legally parked don't suffer any consequences.
jerlam 2y ago
I heard that SeeClickFix loophole has been fixed: https://old.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/1aq2rwt/fyi_abandoned_vehicle_reports_in_seeclickfix_are/ https://old.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/1aq2rwt/fyi_abando...

SaberTail 2y ago

San Jose has this same problem with abandoned vehicles. They will only do something if they can be classified as "blight". In practice that means the vehicle has to be so extensively damaged as to be inoperable. When I last looked into it, it was because they had grant money to clean up blight, but no budget for cleaning up abandoned vehicles otherwise. The towing and storage cost more than what they can usually recoup by fining the owner or by selling them for scrap. This has resulted in things like my entire neighborhood being taken over by shady car dealerships using the streets for overflow that they can't fit on their lots. And so actual people end up finding other places to park, like on the sidewalk, or right in the middle of dead-end streets. I do see those getting ticketed occasionally, at least. Meanwhile the unregistered dealer inventory with no plates that are otherwise legally parked don't suffer any consequences.

jerlam 2y ago

I heard that SeeClickFix loophole has been fixed: https://old.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/1aq2rwt/fyi_abandoned_vehicle_reports_in_seeclickfix_are/ https://old.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/1aq2rwt/fyi_abando...